Bella Italia—We’re friends with everyone (or try to be…)

by Simona Ion Bădulescu

EuroNews managed to get hold of Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, who has kept a decidedly low-key public appearance at this summit. One might be led to believe that he is too focused on getting his home country back on the straight and narrow to concern himself with EU politics. He also cut a remarkably relaxed figure, but whether this was due to his familiarity with EU proceedings, a sign that things are going his way, or that he is using the summit as a welcome holiday from Italian politics is an open question.

With regards to the Commission’s initial proposal for a common migration policy he said,

“I think the European Commission’s proposal is quite good and beneficial for Italy. It is our strong conviction that it covers the most important aspects that concerns Italy, namely the strengthening external borders and initiating a dialogue with Northern African countries. So basically, we are quite happy with the Commission’s proposal.”

His priorities when it comes to such policy are clear:

“First of all, our expectation is to be able to strengthen our external borders. In order to do so, we need to have a clear consensus of all member states that we can do it. So far, after this meeting we just attended, it seems like this is happening. What Italy needs, at the moment, are some additional funds and closer interagency cooperation between FRONTEX and other European agencies, to provide a surveillance of that area of the Southern Mediterranean which is the most problematic right now.”

Greece has already taken a beating over human rights violations against asylum seekers, but Mr. Monti was not too concerned about Italy’s stance on this issue:

“Italy has lately taken huge steps to handle this. In my new government which came to power in November last year we are quite concerned about this, because we are aware of the fact that in the past, perhaps conditions weren’t so good. I don’t think the case of Italy is quite comparable that of Greece, because Greece has had a longer period dealing with situations like this. We are very concerned and we are taking big steps to make it better for the people who need it. I would definitely say that I can see Italy progressing regarding this issue.”

Neither was the Italian PM concerned that the summit would fail to produce a common policy:

“As far as I can see, especially after the meeting we had, I think the proposal will pass with some comments from us. I think the only matter that we didn’t quite agree on, was the resettlement in case of asylum seekers from Africa, but the rest of the aspects were more or less agreed so I am quite optimistic.”

Friends in need? Greek PM, Papademos (left) with Monti. Two technocrats PM peas in a pod?

When asked, whether he had a common cause with fellow EU border state, Greece, Mr. Monti replied:

“Of course, Italy as well as Greece, has been one of the most affected countries – affected in terms that we registered a higher number of immigrants arriving after the Arab Spring – so, in this case I can say that, we share Greece’s pain. We know what it means to receive high number of immigrants and not know what to do in the immediate situation. This is why I think that Italy as well as Greece needs a proof of more and truer solidarity from other EU states. The only difference is, that Greece deals with immigrants coming from different parts of the world, but for sure we have a common ground in asking the member states to give us the proof of true solidarity and cooperation.”

On the troubled issue of the Dublin II Agreement, he said:

“In principle, Italy would agree to negotiate the Dublin II Convention, because that would mean that Africans won’t be forced to seek asylum in the first country they reached. As we know, most immigrants coming from North Africa are French-speaking so they would be much keener to go to France, rather than Italy. This would favor Italy, but at the same time because we want to restore our friendship and our cooperation with all our partners in the European Union. With our new government, and because I am the new Prime Minister, I think we shouldn’t put a strain on France. I think we can open up the issue and it would be favorable for Italy to renegotiate the Dublin II Convention, but at the same time we don’t want to put any of the other member states in an uncomfortable situation.”

This of course led to the question of how to get the other member states on board with the idea of burden-sharing, and if he had heard from the Commission on that topic:

“Not really and I think it’s also my responsibility to ask for a follow up, because Commission might be a little bit busy with the proposal. I am hoping that the member states will understand that the EU is not just about sharing a single currency or about the free circulation within the member states. In times of crisis, like the one that happened last year, we need to see some strong support. At the same time, in Italy with the new government we accept the errors from the past, but we are here with a new perspective. I am doing my best to convince my partners that solidarity is one of the most important things within the EU.”

Stay optimistic is aparently the watchword for former

 Eurocrat and current Italian PM Mario Monti

Finally, on his impression from his latest meeting:

“I think the last meeting was very good because it helped us clarifying where we stand with the negotiations for the Commission’s policy proposal. As far as we saw, all member states agreed more or less on the same issues. I think it was a very good thing for the Danish presidency to add trafficking to the policy proposal. Italy is also quite concerned with trafficking and we are putting a lot of focus on this. So we salute his solution from the Danish presidency and we are quite optimistic with this proposal. We were from the beginning quite satisfied with the proposal and we are happy to see that it is going to the right direction. We want Italy to be more central in the EU, because it has lately, unfortunately, been eclipsed. Now we are trying to get it back where it belongs. What I can say is, that Italy wants to be more present within the EU and we want Europe to be more present within Italy.”