Giorgia Meloni’s European lesson on the Italy-Albania memorandum. The bell rings before the start of the European Council, 10 leaders on the benches, including the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. In addition to Denmark and the Netherlands who played along with Italy to organize the meeting aimed at “innovative solutions”, the leaders of Austria, Cyprus, Poland, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Malta and Slovakia. «It is curious – writes Meloni on and free.” Meloni knows he is playing on a pitch that was unimaginable in Europe only until a few months ago. Thanks to the shift to the right of the political center of gravity of the Old Continent, the new legislature is taking steps towards a new crackdown on irregular immigration. So much so that the idea of using external hotspots, i.e. repatriation hubs outside the EU in which to detain migrant people while awaiting a response to their asylum requests, is no longer a taboo. Von der Leyen herself, in last Monday’s letter on migration addressed to the leaders on the eve of the summit, ended up clearing them, encouraging the heads of state and government to “explore” the possibility, drawing “lessons from the Italy-Albania protocol” .
And so Meloni, around a table where croissants and chocolate sweets also appeared, illustrated the contents of the agreement signed with Edi Rama last November, explaining how, in fact, the two hotspots that have been operational for a few days work: one at port to manage the arrival of ships and the other in the mountains, where migrants are destined to remain awaiting a possible accelerated repatriation. And it is precisely on the theme of the hubs, reports Palazzo Chigi, that the meeting between the eleven focuses. «A very positive meeting» and «with clear common objectives», says Meloni on X. In a note issued at the end of the summit, the Italian government explains that the discussion between the leaders «focused on the concept of a safe third country in view of the implementation of the rules of the new Migration and Asylum Pact, on collaboration along the migratory routes with UNHCR and IOM on assisted voluntary repatriations as well as on “return hubs“. And the comparison work will continue from here on out. «The leaders present – explains Palazzo Chigi – agreed to continue to maintain a close operational connection also in view of the next European Councils, with the aim of strengthening and making the European Union’s migration policy increasingly effective». Which in the meantime is divided on the issue of hotspots outside EU territory. The only one to get on the barricades, openly speaking, is the Spaniard Pedro Sanchez.
For the rest there are more lukewarm and “leopard spots” positions, with France divided internally – Macron against and the government which does not despise, “why not?”, opens the executive spokeswoman Maud Brégeon – and Germany skeptical: «It is clear that concepts that represent a few small drops if you look at the figures are not really the solution for a country as large as Germany», cuts German Chancellor Olaf Scholz short. But there are also those who look with enthusiasm at solutions along the lines of the Italy-Albania Memorandum, such as the Danish Prime Minister Metter Frederiksen, Social Democrat, or the Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, who, like the former tenant of Downing Street Rishi Sunak, a great friend of Meloni, aims at Uganda. The fact is that the Albania model in Brussels has become a topic of reflection, debate, comparison, friction. It also finds space during the in-depth discussion on migration at the European Council, where the Prime Minister speaks of it as a “deterrent against traffickers who can no longer ensure certain destinations for migrants”.
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