Amid ongoing debates over Europe’s handling of the migration crisis, Giorgia Meloni’s collaboration with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in a migration pact, reminiscent of the UK-Rwanda proposal, has drawn significant attention.
However, as the European Union grapples with its own migration policies, criticism from Italian politicians highlights broader concerns about the effectiveness of EU measures in addressing the continent’s migration challenges.
In the latest development concerning migration policies in Europe, Italian MEP Annalisa Tardino has voiced strong criticism against the Migration and Asylum Pact promoted by the European Union.
Despite acknowledging the efforts of the Italian government, Tardino argues that the EU’s measures fall short of addressing the significant challenges posed by migration, particularly for countries like Italy and those bordering the Mediterranean.
In a note sent to Express.co.uk, Tardino said: “Despite the good intentions and the great work carried out by the Italian government…the package of measures of the Migration and Asylum Pact promoted by the EU is still not sufficient to resolve an epochal problem.”
A key point of contention highlighted by Tardino is the inadequacy of the proposed ‘new Dublin’ system, known as Ramm, which fails to address existing challenges effectively.
She stressed the neglect of crucial proposals such as the establishment of EU-managed identification centres in North Africa, which could significantly impact addressing migration at its roots.
Tardino also criticised the burden placed on countries of first arrival, like Italy, without adequate cooperation measures with countries of origin and transit. She lamented the ineffectiveness of the EU’s approach, labelling it as “too little, too late” in addressing the immigration emergency.
She said: “As if that were not enough, potential additional burdens are foreseen for the countries of first arrival such as Italy and the cooperation measures with the countries of origin and transit of the migratory flows are completely insufficient in the text.
“Too little, too late: once again, the EU does not appear effective in dealing with the immigration emergency.
“In the next mandate, more courageous and incisive choices will be needed, to be carried out with a majority different from the current one.”
Under the terms of the Italian-Albanian deal, valued at £30 million, three facilities capable of housing around 3,000 individuals will be established. These facilities will handle landing procedures, asylum assessments, and potential repatriation, with provisions for healthcare and legal assistance.
However, despite such initiatives at the national level, the overarching EU approach to migration management faces significant scepticism.
