Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently warned that the “future of Europe is at stake” if illegal immigration continues amid the recent arrival of thousands of migrants on Italy’s southernmost island of Lampedusa.
Meloni’s remarks came during a speech she gave at a press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Meloni reportedly said that the European Union (EU) must come together to address the challenges of uncontrolled migration.
It is “the future that Europe wants for itself that is at stake here, because the future of Europe depends on Europe’s capacity to face major challenges,” Meloni said, according to Breitbart News.
Italy, much like the U.S., is fighting an illegal immigration crisis. An estimated 8,500 immigrants illegally arrived in Lampedusa aboard 199 boats, according to the U.N. migration agency.
Here's the Deputy mayor of Lampedusa "Refugees are NOT welcome, our patience is OVER."
Over 6,000 illegals arrived within a day on their island, that's more than the population of the entire Italian island!! pic.twitter.com/eobIAgzmNm
— Michelle #FJB (@MichelleRM68) September 17, 2023
“Irregular immigration is a European challenge that needs a European response,” von der Leyen said, calling on other members of the EU to take in some of the migrants.
The Italian Red Cross stated that the Lampedusa migration center allowed 1,500 migrants to remain on the island, despite only having a capacity for just 400.
The Red Cross said it expects even more illegal immigrants to arrive on the island. The organization added that the transfer of migrants to Sicily and other areas across Italy has not kept up with the flow of new arrivals.
This is not the first time Italy has dealt with such an overwhelming number of illegal aliens in 2023, with nearly 130,000 people arriving in the country by boat since the beginning of the year.
Meloni emphasized the need for the human tide to be reduced during a conversation with Hungarian President Viktor Orban in Budapest, as reported by Reuters.
“I think that a quota of legal migration…can make a positive contribution to our economies, but I remain convinced that it would be more responsible for us to entrust European citizens with the solution to the European welfare system crisis,” Meloni said.
Meloni and Orban said that “strong political and economic support” should be granted to the illegal immigrants’ countries of origin to prevent them from needing to seek shelter elsewhere.
