Macron sparks one other diplomatic row as minister cancels France go to
An Italian minister has cancelled a go to to France after a row erupted over migration coverage. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Thursday abruptly halted his journey to Paris, calling out “unacceptable” remarks by the French inside minister who had criticised his nation’s migration coverage. Italy has demanded clarification of the remarks made by French minister Gerald Darmanin to RMC radio who blamed Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni for rising numbers of migrants, notably minors, on the French-Italian border.
Darmanin advised the broadcaster that Meloni “is incapable of resolving the migration issues for which she was elected.” He also accused her of “lying to the population,” a “vice” he said was shared by the far-right.
The remark was both a dig at Meloni and French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, noting that Meloni was elected by Le Pen’s “friends”.
The president of Le Pen’s National Rally visited the border area on Wednesday, seemingly to revive the migration issue.
Darmanin’s comments came as Tajani was preparing to fly to Paris to meet with his French counterpart.
The Italian foreign minister said the “offences” launched by the minister against the Italian government weren’t in “the spirit in which shared European challenges should be faced”.
The French Foreign Ministry backed off of Darmanin’s remarks, saying that French-Italy ties are “based on mutual respect, between our two international locations and between our leaders.”
The assertion stated the French authorities needs to work with Italy on the problem of migration, significantly within the central Mediterranean, in a spirit of solidarity, in a reference to Tunisia.
Italy and France have sparred over migration policing since Meloni took workplace final 12 months as Italy’s first post-war far-right chief.
Her authorities ushered in hardline insurance policies on migration, together with standoffs with humanitarian rescue ships. Tensions spiked final fall after Italy pressured France’s hand to simply accept the Ocean Viking with 234 migrants aboard after Italy had refused it port for weeks.
Italy’s defence minister, Guido Grosetto, who’s one among Meloni’s closest associates and a staunch supporter of her emphasis on nationwide sovereignty, insisted Darmanin ought to apologise to each the Italian authorities and to Meloni.
Crosetto stated in a written assertion launched by his ministry: “This strange and incomprehensible habit of some exponents of European governments to try to interfere in Italian public life today crossed the alert level.”
The Italian minister added: “It doesn’t take a genius to understand that to damage the relations between founding nations of the EU (European Union) cannot but weaken each of us.”
He stated Italy wish to focus on “even with France” how to solve immigration problems “in a serious and common way, not squabble in public to obtain a newspaper headline or one more vote.”