Italy’s Prime Minister Declares about EU’s Collapse Risks

Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte declared on Monday, that the European Union risks collapsing in case a common position on migrants is reached, ANSA writes. 

“If we continue to stall without a shared path, we risk bringing down the European building,” Mr. Conte said at the press conference commenting the meeting in Rome with European Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos. 

Mr. Avramopoulos also had talks with the Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who has headed the strict position of the government concerning the refusal of access to Italian ports for the ships of NGOs helping migrants to cross the Mediterranean Sea. 

“Italy had been left alone and now we are coping alone. We didn’t talk about a naval blockade with Avramopoulos but we discussed instruments to defend the borders, which is a very important issue for managing migrant flows. Otherwise you encourage the pull factor,” Mr. Conte said.

 The new strict anti-migration law passed by the Parliament of Italy on November 28, simplifies the deportation of newcomers and restricts residence permits in the country, which has become the main gateway for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea.