"That of migrants from Libya is not an emergency, but this does not mean that we should not work on it: the model must be that of the agreement with Turkey, which Angela Merkel and I agree in wanting to encourage and implement": thus Prime Minister Matteo Renzi opened the press conference at Palazzo Chigi, following the working lunch with the German Chancellor, on a visit to Rome where he will also meet Papa Francesco.
"We cannot leave Italy alone," Merkel admitted, in agreement with Renzi. “It is everyone's duty that the bet on migrants works – continued Renzi -: we are strong on this convergence between Italy and Germany, in the name of an approach full of human values and able to offer a serious and credible, long-term unified political response".
After Turkey and the Balkan route, the other great current challenge is that ofAfrica. “Migrants from Libya are in line with those of 2015 – the Italian premier specified -: to date there are around 26 thousand, just a thousand more in proportion to last year. The Libyan one is not an emergency but this does not mean that we should not work together, with the same philosophy that inspired the agreement with Turkey”.
The two leaders also expressed themselves in agreement in judging Austria's move: “It has aroused astonishment and dissent – said Renzi – on the decision to build a wall in the Brenner Pass. It's a wrong and anachronistic position, and not even justified by a real emergency. But I say it would have been wrong even in an emergency." “We need to defend Schengen”, Angela Merkel echoed him on the more general issue of walls and the restoration of borders.
The only point of disagreement, which is not secondary, is the one on how to finance the immigration plan: “We agree on the fact that the leadership must be European – said Renzi -, but to finance it we propose the Eurobonds and Berlin disagrees with this. However, we are open to dialogue”.
The prime minister also announced a forthcoming bilateral summit, within 2016, which Italy will host in Maranello, the headquarters of automotive excellence: "It is a deliberate choice to send a message: you have to bet on automotive and innovation, on history and the future”.
