Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was also unable to persuade her Polish and Hungarian counterparts to approve the migration deal. At the EU leaders’ summit, the two heads of state, who normally have close ties with the EU, focused on their national interests.
EU heads of state and government failed to adopt a common position on migration at the last EU Council summit, as Poland and Hungary failed to reach an agreement.
In a bid to persuade the two countries to change their minds, EU Council President Charles Michel suggested that Meloni – who is on good terms with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban – make another attempt to three-way negotiation to make them back down on the migration issue.
“I tried to mediate until the end,” explained the hapless Meloni.
“I am never disappointed with those who defend the interests of their nations. The question posed by Poland and Hungary is not unreasonable. They are the two countries that care most about Ukrainian refugees. They are doing so with EU funds that are insufficient. ”, she explained.
“His position does not refer to the external dimension, which is a priority for Italy and the only way to deal with migration is by bringing everyone together,” he added.
An agreement reached by EU ministers – with the exception of Poland and Hungary – in early June provided for the obligation of “mandatory” solidarity and, consequently, the willingness to resettle or pay a fine of 20,000 euros for each migrant not resettled.
Morawiecki wishes Meloni “good luck”
“I have no reservations about my friend Giorgia and I am satisfied with the role she played because she always tried to reach an agreement”, but “we agree that we disagree on the issue of migrants” while “We agree on all other issues,” he said. Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki.
“I wish you luck with this pact. I don’t think it’s the solution because it doesn’t get to the root of the problem, but I’m not commenting on the prerogatives and assessments of the Italian government,” he added.
At the end of the year, elections will take place in Poland that will be of crucial importance for Europe. Morawiecki’s opponent will be former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose party at European level is the European People’s Party (EPP). The same applies to Forza Italia, which is Meloni’s ally in Italy.
The EPP and the ECR – the group in the European Parliament of which Meloni is the leader – are working on an alliance ahead of the EU elections in June 2024.
If Morawiecki were to lose the election, it could end the alliance with Meloni, who would lose a difficult ally and move his party one step closer to center stage.