ROMA (ITALPRESS) – “Our decision on the temporary restoration of air and maritime border controls was not a measure aimed at Spain or another partner. It is out of discussion any hostile act towards Spain, a country linked to us by historical bonds of friendship and brotherhood. In fact, it was a choice of a precautionary and organizational nature, aimed at protecting national security and keeping the entire European system of controls at a time of strong stress, as happened in many other cases.” The Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi, said this during the hearing to the Parliamentary Control Committee on the implementation of the Schengen Agreement on what happened to Ceuta.
“You cannot look at what happened in Ceuta as if it was something that does not involve us: every irregular entrance on those coasts represents a vulnerability for the entire Schengen area,” added Piantedosi “projecting the risk directly within our common home. It is this permeability of the external borders that legitimizes, and indeed imposes, the adoption of rigorous internal protection measures, to protect its national security”. For the Interior Minister “a more permissive attitude on the front of the migration contrast always ends up feeding the illusion, in those who have no right to remain in Europe”.
“What he has chosen to do is to restore border controls with Spain “is fully within European law. Other European States, including Italy, have done so and continue to do so. And I repeat: I do not understand that in those circumstances there have been any doubts or requests for further study – Piantedosi continued – but I would like to stress again that, while the initiative of Italy is based on solid objective bases and the control activity is focused and modulated according to them – she added Piantedosi – the suspension operated by the authorities of Madrid in our regard corresponds, for their own admission, to a fundamentally retorive logic”.
Given the possibility of a new mass entry attempt for the next 15 August “we are carefully monitoring the evolution of the situation and, as already announced by the Government, the decision to suspend the application of the Schengen Agreement will not be reviewed before 15 August, and however only after completely excluded security risks for Italy. Despite the repatriations made by Spain in recent days, there remain still in the exclave, at least 6,000 people (although some sources speak of more than 11,000) mostly sub-Sharans – added Piantedosis – for which they would not be practicable nor re-admissioning, nor returning to Morocco and which constitute an objective pressure element towards the continental European territory, destination last invoked by migrants. The data is even more worrying if we refer to unaccompanied foreign minors who are over 1,300 and who cannot be repatriated.”.
“Europe should strengthen the principle of conditionality towards the countries of origin and transit of migration flows, linking more stringent aids and forms of cooperation to concrete collaboration in contrast to human traffickers. At the same time, Europe must also be more rigorous with regard to Member States which, by political or ideological choices, adopt decisions which are likely to produce effects throughout the Union,” she added. “Protecting European borders and ensuring the seal of the overall immigration management system is our priority.”.
-Photo press office Chamber of Representatives-
(ITALPRESS).
