“It can’t go on like this” – Nehammer by lightning and thunder in Rome

The discussion was mainly about the fight against illegal migration. Austria and Italy want to work together ahead of the next European Council in June, where migration will be back on the agenda. Alliances are necessary to make progress at European level.

“It can’t be the way it used to be. The asylum system in Europe has failed,” said Nehammer. Austria as a landlocked country and Italy as a country of arrival are among the countries in Europe most affected by illegal migration. Meloni spoke about the fact that she and Nehammer “were on the same wavelength and had the same vision.” Both demand, in particular, consistent returns, asylum applications in third countries and robust external border surveillance.

“Cooperation with Austria is essential as we suffer from the large migratory flows,” said Meloni, calling for a paradigm shift in the EU. “It is imperative that all borders of the EU are protected and defended.”

Meloni, 46, won parliamentary elections in the autumn of 2022 with her party Fratelli d’Italia and formed a coalition with the right-wing populist League led by Matteo Salvini and Silvio Berlusconi’s conservative Forza Italia.

Italy had about 35,000 asylum applications from January to mid-April in 2023, in Austria there were 12,000. Measured per capita, Austria is number 3 in the EU, Italy, with its 60 million inhabitants, is number 12. The country is mainly hampered by the massive arrivals by sea.

On April 11, the Italian Council of Ministers declared a six-month state of emergency for the entire national territory due to the sharply increased migration flows. These have led to severe overcrowding in the first reception centers and in particular in the hotspot Lampedusa. On the one hand, Italy is demanding relief from Lampedusa through the construction of new facilities and the consistent repatriation of migrants.