A few weeks ago, Italy suspended the Schengen Agreement with Spain, which had been overwhelmed, albeit briefly, by tens of thousands of migrants.
Spain overrun by migrants, the Schengen Agreement suspended, and the Italian government criticised by some for alleged insensitivity towards the needs of desperate migrants—yet also criticised by many for demonstrating little solidarity with Europe, undermining European unity, and contributing to widening the cracks in the fabric of the Union that anti-European forces seek to exploit.
On the pages of Il Mattino di Verona, it was empirically demonstrated—data in hand—that the criticisms levelled at the Italian government were entirely misplaced, given that the Schengen Treaty has been suspended more frequently and for longer durations by other European countries. (On this point, see two articles published in Il Mattino di Verona: Focus: “Suspending Schengen? Sometimes it can help” [Prof. Riccardo Pelizzo] – Mattino di Verona, and Focus: “Schengen Suspension: here are the official figures” [Prof. Riccardo Pelizzo] – Mattino di Verona).
Today brings the news that several European countries—including Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Finland, and Sweden—are preparing to send 24,000 migrants back to Italy (The “Dublin cases” issue expands: Finland and Sweden are also sending them back to Italy – Europe – Ansa.it).
Migrants generally land in Italy because, geographically, it is the closest country to the African coast; however, they do not arrive to settle in Italy. They land in Italy to reach Europe—specifically those wealthy Northern European nations that offer a quality of life unthinkable to the majority of the population in the so-called Global South.
Austria, Finland, Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland are returning migrants to us, despite knowing full well that the migrant crisis is a pan-European issue for which every European country should take responsibility. However, as far-right parties gain significant electoral ground in many of these nations, these countries are sending or deporting migrants back to Italy, in complete disregard of the solidarity owed to European partners.
Conte and Schlein have used the issue to mock the government, failing to realise that the more migrants European partners return to Italy, the more votes a fierce anti-European like Vannacci gains. A strong Vannacci is probably bad news for Meloni, certainly bad news for Europe, and equally bad news for the Campo Largo [broad centre-left coalition].
Riccardo Pelizzo
Professor and Dean, Graduate School of Public Policy, Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan
This article was first published in Il Mattino di Verona and is republished on this website with the author’s permission.
