Premier Giorgia Meloni said Friday
that she was not disappointed with Poland and Hungary after
their objections meant it was not possible to reach an agreement
on the new EU pact on migration and asylum at the European
Council.
"I am never disappointed by those who defend their national
interests," Meloni told reporters after the summit.
"Their position does not regard the external dimension, which is
the Italian priority and is the only way to address migration
and getting everyone to agree".
Warsaw and Budapest are opposed to making solidarity in the
management of migrants and refugees obligatory, something which
was part of the pact and which Italy and Greece have demanded,
given the high number of migrants coming to their shores via
sea.
Under an agreement thrashed out by interior ministers earlier
this month, each country would be responsible for a share of
migrants and refugees arriving in the EU and those unwilling to
receive them would have to pay around 20,000 euros for each
person they chose not to accept.
Meloni had a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz
Morawiecki and her Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban on the
sidelines of the European Council summit earlier on Friday, but
the talks apparently failed to break the deadlock caused by the
objections the two leaders raised on Thursday.
Sources said European Council President Charles Michel had asked
Meloni to try to mediate.
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