Premier Giorgia Meloni said Friday that she could understand Poland and Hungary, whose opposition to the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum led to there being no chapter on migration in the final declaration of the informal EU summit in Granada.
Under the pact, EU countries will be obliged to take a share of the migrants that arrive in ‘frontline’ States like Italy or Greece or pay for each migrant they refuse to receive.
Meloni has repeatedly said it is more important to stop migrants arriving in the EU in the first place rather than focusing on how to redistribute those that do arrive.
“We voted for the pact because the new rules are better than the previous ones,” Meloni said.
“But I did not make this a priority.
“It is the debate based on an old perception (of the migration issue).
“Our position is different from that of Poland and Hungary because of geographical issues.
“They understand the Italian position, I understand their position perfectly and it does not compromise how we work together”.
Migrants: I understand Hungary, Poland – Meloni – English – ANSA.it