De Wever calls in Rome for stronger protection of Europe’s southern border and charms Meloni with his best Italian

Europe must take responsibility for protecting its southern border, Bart De Wever said in Rome after meeting his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni. He made the appeal in a discussion that covered migration, economic pressures, organized crime, Ukraine and the Middle East, then thanked Meloni for her welcome in Italian, earning applause from his host.

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I fully understand that we need to strengthen Europe’s southern border. We talk a lot about the eastern border and the threats there, but we must not forget that we have a southern border, a border on the Mediterranean. Europe must take responsibility for closing that border.

De Wever said Europe often focuses on its eastern border and the threats there, but must not forget its Mediterranean frontier. “I fully understand that we need to strengthen Europe’s southern border,” he said. “Europe must take responsibility for closing that border.”

The meeting followed a summer in which tens of thousands of people unexpectedly stormed the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco. Italy responded by introducing border checks for travelers from Spain, a measure extended for another 15 days last week. Meloni also argued for stronger protection of the European Union’s external borders, saying, “I remain firmly convinced that it can only be maintained if the Union’s external borders are protected and everyone contributes to the fight against human smugglers.”

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I remain firmly convinced that it can only be maintained if the Union’s external borders are protected and everyone contributes to the fight against human smugglers.

De Wever called for the full rollout of the new European migration pact, including a stronger return policy. “Only with a credible return policy can we make European migration policy a success,” he said. His N-VA party and Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia belong to the same European Parliament group, the ECR, and De Wever described the two politicians as allies in the European Council. He praised Meloni’s leadership and the strong bilateral relationship between Belgium and Italy.

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Only with a credible return policy can we make European migration policy a success.

The countries also share concerns about European competitiveness and high energy prices affecting industry. De Wever praised cooperation against organized crime and said both governments wanted faster diplomatic efforts to end the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine. Rising geopolitical instability has increased defense budgets and rearmament programs across Europe, he said, adding that Belgium wants to do more with Italian industry.

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We believe we need to make greater diplomatic efforts to put an end to the conflict on our own continent.