Italy threatens to reject German-returned migrants

Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has declared that Italy will refuse to accept migrants returned from Germany, escalating a dispute over the handling of asylum seekers within the European Union. Salvini, who also serves as Italy's transport minister, criticized German non-governmental organizations for their rescue operations in the Mediterranean.

Salvini argued that German rescue ships pick up migrants at sea and bring them to Italy, many of whom then travel onward to Germany. He stated, "Germany has no right to send us back even a single illegal immigrant as long as German NGO ships are operating in the Mediterranean to bring thousands of illegal immigrants to land in Italy and Europe." This stance directly challenges new EU asylum and migration pact rules that allow for the return of migrants to their initial EU entry point.

The conflict centers on the so-called "secondary migrants" – individuals who arrive in one EU country and then move to another. Under the Dublin Regulation, migrants are generally required to claim asylum in the first EU country they enter. Despite these regulations, Italy has reportedly not taken back any migrants from Germany since the new pact came into effect.

Official figures indicate that Italy has already rejected around 80,000 return requests from other countries since 2023, citing an overloaded national reception system. Reports suggest a meeting is planned between Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and his German counterpart, Alexander Dobrindt, to address the ongoing disagreement.

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Germany has no right to send us back even a single illegal immigrant as long as German NGO ships are operating in the Mediterranean to bring thousands of illegal immigrants to land in Italy and Europe.