Migrants, from the Netherlands to Sweden: ‘Transfer of Dublin cases to Italia’. Paris and Madrid: no

The Finnish Ministry of the Interior made this statement to LaPresse regarding the transfer of asylum seekers to Italia, whilst also emphasising the importance of all Member States fulfilling their responsibilities under the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum.

“It is important for Finland that the rules on responsibility for examining asylum applications are applied as intended and that all EU Member States fulfil their responsibilities under the Pact. For our part, we remain committed to ensuring the effective implementation of the procedures relating to the determination of the responsible State”, explained the Ministry of the Interior.

“We have continued our cooperation and dialogue with Italia over the years”, the ministry added, “we believe that the entry into force of the Regulation on the management of asylum and migration (AMMR) allows for the resumption of transfers to Italia, and transfers to Italia are currently being prepared”. At present, the ministry has not provided any details on the total number of people who might be affected by future transfers, nor has it specified whether the procedure will apply exclusively to asylum seekers who arrived after 12 June – the date on which the new EU Pact came into force – or also to those who were already present prior to that date.

Ireland “continues to comply with and process notifications, requests and transfers” of asylum seekers “to all EU Member States”, “including Italia”. This was confirmed to Adnkronos by a spokesperson for Ireland’s Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, a branch of the ministry of the same name responsible for immigration and asylum law, regarding so-called ‘Dublin cases’. The Irish Department also highlights the Dublin Regulation’s provisions on responsibility for examining applications: ‘Ireland, along with other Member States, supports the principle that the first EU country into which an asylum seeker enters (or in which they are registered in the Eurodac system) is responsible for processing their asylum application.’

“The backlash against Giorgia Meloni’s propaganda stunt of suspending the Schengen Agreement against Spain has been spectacular. And so, hot on the heels of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Finland and Sweden have also declared that they are resuming the return to Italia of migrants who entered Europe via our country.” This is according to PD secretary Elly Schlein. “When I said that, regarding Ceuta, Meloni had set a dangerous precedent for Europe – but above all for Italia – this is exactly what I meant. What makes matters worse is that, due to her blind ideology, Meloni has never fought the most important battle to be waged in Brussels in the national interest: that on European solidarity, including on the issue of reception.”

“The pointless and damaging spectacle over Ceuta and the decisions regarding migrants have caused quite a backlash: following the government’s bombastic propaganda against Spain, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Finland are now queuing up to send the migrants we have registered back to Italia. A masterpiece by Meloni: repatriations work – but against us.” This was posted on social media by the president of the M5S, Giuseppe Conte.

For the time being, “France’s political decision is not to join the countries” that are returning migrants to Italia under the new rules. ANSA has learnt this from informed sources in Paris. The sources add that, on France’s part, “in any case, there will be no announcement” of the sort made today by Finland and Sweden “as long as there remains a phase of cooperation and rapprochement with Italia”, with which Paris “shares the desire to work towards reducing the flows of migrants leaving Tunisia and Libya”.

The Spanish government “is ‘in favour’ of managing the issue of so-called ‘Dublin cases’ through the European solidarity mechanisms set out in the European Pact on Migration and Asylum and recent European Union legislation, ‘rather than resorting to expulsions or isolated bilateral restrictions’.” This was reported to ANSA by sources at the Spanish Ministry of the Interior. Madrid’s stance comes as Sweden and Finland prepare – following in the footsteps of Germany, Austria and Switzerland – to transfer asylum seekers who have arrived in Italia to that country, invoking precisely the new rules of the Pact.

Meanwhile, during the night between Thursday and Friday, an SOS was received from the central Mediterranean. Thirty-seven migrants are in danger on board a rubber dinghy that set off from Libya. “We are in contact with the group,” says Alarm Phone, “they are adrift and unable to continue. The people have told us that water is coming in and their boat is sinking. The authorities have been alerted and have a duty to intervene.”

“The reintroduction of border controls with Spain has absolutely no connection with the possible, previously announced returns of Dublin cases to Italia. These are entirely separate issues. One can only argue the contrary in order to exploit the situation and spread a bit of propaganda,” said Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi in an interview with ANSA. “Some members of our opposition, in their eagerness to come up with anything that runs counter to our policies, have been rejoicing at the hypothetical prospect of Italia being overwhelmed in future by the arrival of large numbers of Dublin cases. But let me give you a figure: out of around 50 requests we have received so far, only three people have actually turned up in Italia. Three people in two months: that is to say, if this continues, an average of twenty people a year.”

The Minister of the Interior then went on to discuss the situation in Ceuta and relations with Spain. ‘A critical incident occurred in Ceuta which exposed Spain – and consequently the whole of the EU – to a serious threat in terms of immigration and security. The temporary reintroduction of border controls was made necessary by objective conditions of danger which, unfortunately, are still plain for all to see. It is everyone’s hope, above all our own, that the reasons underlying this measure will cease to exist as soon as possible», continued Mr Piantedosi. “Spain is a sister nation,” the minister emphasised, “a friendly country facing challenges not unlike those Italia itself must contend with. In this regard, we will never fail to provide all possible support and our full cooperation,”