French President Emmanuel Macron does not give up on economic migrants, but Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni collects his solidarity and that of Chancellor Angela Merkel on the issue of landings of immigrants on Italian territory. This is what emerges in summary from the trilateral summit between Germany, Italy and France which was held in Trieste. “We will do our part in this fight – said Macron -. It's a duty, but we cannot welcome men and women who come to our countries for economic reasons: these and those seeking asylum are two different realities and I will not give in to this prevailing spirit of confusion".
“I express solidarity with Italy – added the French president -. France has not always done its part when it comes to refugees, we are accelerating the processes and we will”. "We want to be in solidarity with Italy in migration policy," said the German chancellor, Angela Merkel. “Italy – he continued – has done great things, for example in registering and welcoming refugees. All three of us must tackle the fight against illegal migration, through cooperation with Africa, which is particularly important for areas such as Niger and Libya". For Merkel, "Europe cannot be only the Europe of the economy but also the Europe that faces all the challenges together".
Meanwhile in Paris, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe communicated the migrant plan launched by the government, which provides for 12.500 places for refugees and asylum seekers between now and 2019. Not a very high figure, considering that over 2017 migrants have landed on Italian territory since the beginning of 80 alone. "We are not up to what France must be," said the prime minister, Edouard Philippe.
As for the right to asylum, Philippe promised the creation of 7.500 reception places - 4.000 in 2018 and 3.500 in 2019. The prime minister also announced the creation of "5.000 places" in the same two-year period to help refugees obtain accommodation. Migrants who will not be granted asylum will become "the object of a removal measure", Philippe said, underlining the desire to "redefine the legal framework" of asylum seekers. With those who will obtain refugee status "we will have to be exemplary" added Philippe. The bill will be presented to the National Assembly in September.
