The “no” of Poland and Hungary leads to the withdrawal of the conclusions on migration from the European Council. Even mediation entrusted to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who comes from the same conservative family as Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and is also close to Magyar Prime Minister Viktor Orban, failed. Since last night, faced with the impasse in this chapter, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, had asked the Prime Minister to convince the two that a trilateral agreement was concluded this morning at the headquarters of the Italian representation in the Palazzo Europa, but the attempt was unsuccessful and Meloni contacted those responsible – who had also asked for a second investigation – and said the conclusions would not be accepted. Therefore, the strategy of proceeding with the conclusions of the President of the European Council Michel, expressing the two chapters on migration, is actually reinforced compared to the draft. These ‘personal’ conclusions carry the full message on the external dimension of migration, defined as a ‘European challenge requiring a European response’, with a focus on combating human smuggling, external border management and partnerships. Poland’s resistance is directed less against this aspect – in fact Morawiecki only proposed an EU plan to strengthen the external borders yesterday – and more against the migration and asylum pact, on which the EU Council agreed its negotiating position on June 8th with the approval of Italy, particularly in the part related to the obligation of solidarity between Member States. Warsaw argues that this law could not be adopted with a qualified majority, because the conclusions of the European Councils of December 2016, June 2018 and June 2019 – i.e. at the level of heads of state and government – pointed out that all decisions on immigration should be taken by consensus, ie without any opposition. The EU treaties, on the other hand, do not provide for unanimity on the issue of migration. Hungary, on the other hand, didn’t want the EU to impose forced resettlement, the same fight Budapest fought in the 2015-2016 Syrian crisis.
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The tenant of Palazzo Chigi believes that “Italy played the role of protagonist” and “those who followed the European Council can confirm this”. Meloni also stressed that for the first time “the demographic dimension was finally mentioned in a European Council document”. No criticism of the two sovereign allies. “I’m not disappointed with the attitude of Poland and Hungary, I’m never disappointed with those who defend their national interests,” she stresses. “As long as we look for solutions to deal with migrants when they arrive on European territory, we will never find unanimity,” he explains. “The only way is to work on the external dimension.” Even the Polish Prime Minister asserts that there is no contradiction with his “good friend Georgia”. The government in Rome made its decisions on migration “in Italy’s interests” and “that’s why we agreed not to agree on this very narrow aspect of European policy”, but “on everything else we agree”. Meloni confirms that there is an “excellent relationship” with Poland and Hungary and that he tried to mediate until the last minute. “This is a task that must continue to be completed,” added the Prime Minister, recalling her visit to Warsaw next Wednesday. “Since February we have made significant progress on the issue of migration.” Michel recalls that, although there was no unanimity, the debate “showed great convergence” and that “the European Council remains fully committed to this issue and in will come back to it periodically”.
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As for the other issues raised in Brussels, the Prime Minister reports that the ratification of the Mes “is an issue that is not asked of me and therefore probably means that we do not give it the same attention in the debate in Italy.” “. On the other hand, the deadline of June 30 for the payment of the third installment of the PNRR has also expired and today the Commission once again recalled “that the work is still in progress” with “constructive exchanges with the Italian authorities”. But now talks are already talking about a fourth installment request, a sign that the situation is lasting longer than expected, with all the ramifications of the case.
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