Milan, 4 Aug. (LaPresse) – “I understand Spain’s frustration over its failed policy on migrants, but we have a duty to protect Italy’s borders, which, incidentally, also comprise 7,000 kilometres of European borders that affect other states as well, and are therefore the borders of the entire Union. We have always shown solidarity with Spain; we are friends with the Spanish people, but their policy on this issue is not perfect, and we have taken our steps following a careful assessment by the Ministry of the Interior.” This was stated by Antonio Tajani, Minister for Foreign Affairs, in an interview with *Corriere della Sera*. The Deputy Prime Minister explains that he disagrees with the Spanish Government’s position that twice as many irregular migrants arrive in Italy as in Spain: “Firstly,” he said, “I do not agree with the figures they cite, which are outdated, dating from before 2021; the actual figures are different. Here, there has been a halving of irregular arrivals, thanks in part to a foreign policy on migration under the Meloni government that has been more than responsible, starting with the effects of the Mattei Plan, which is systemic and is bearing fruit.” “Spain is regularising 500,000 irregular migrants, and is doing so without having consulted any of its European partners on this decision, and that is not acceptable,” he adds. “Now we are even hearing that there are a million applications for regularisation – and who is preventing these people from moving freely within the Schengen area?”
Migrants, Tajani: “I understand Spain’s frustration; they have failed”
Milan, 4 Aug. (LaPresse) – “I understand Spain’s frustration over its failed policy on migrants, but we have a duty to protect Italy’s borders, which, incidentally, also comprise 7,000 kilometres of European borders that affect other states as well, and are therefore the borders of the entire Union. We have always shown solidarity with Spain; we are friends with the Spanish people, but their policy on this issue is not perfect, and we have taken our steps following a careful assessment by the Ministry of the Interior.” This was stated by Antonio Tajani, Minister for Foreign Affairs, in an interview with *Corriere della Sera*. The Deputy Prime Minister explains that he disagrees with the Spanish Government’s position that twice as many irregular migrants arrive in Italy as in Spain: “Firstly,” he said, “I do not agree with the figures they cite, which are outdated, dating from before 2021; the actual figures are different. Here, there has been a halving of irregular arrivals, thanks in part to a foreign policy on migration under the Meloni government that has been more than responsible, starting with the effects of the Mattei Plan, which is systemic and is bearing fruit.” “Spain is regularising 500,000 irregular migrants, and is doing so without having consulted any of its European partners on this decision, and that is not acceptable,” he adds. “Now we are even hearing that there are a million applications for regularisation – and who is preventing these people from moving freely within the Schengen area?”
