Italy ‘doing tremendous job’ on migration, says EU Commissioner, after Rome-Paris diplomatic spat

The European Commissioner of Home Affairs has defended Italy’s migration policy, following a diplomatic row between Paris and Rome.

In an interview with Euronews, Ylva Johansson said she understands the latest measures taken by the right-wing government of Giorgia Meloni.

“The state of emergency in Italy is of course a national decision, but as I understand this, this helps Italy to cope with improving the reception capacities in a quicker way in the country and this is absolutely necessary with this huge numbers of arrivals,” she said on Monday.

“But it is important to say that Italy should not be alone. We have to support Italy here.”

Last week, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin accused Meloni of being “unable to solve migration problems”, angering Rome in the process.

“What we see now from the Italian coastguard is really impressive. They have saved more than 30,000 people this year. They are doing a tremendous job,” she told Euronews.

“And we also have the NGOs, but to a much lesser extent, of course. The state initiatives are the big ones when it comes to search and rescue.”

At the moment, more than 42,000 irregular migrants have landed on Italian shores in 2023, almost quadruple compared to the same period last year.