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On the issue of migrants “we cannot have a Franco-French response. We must do our part as Europeans and not leave Italians alone”. This is what French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview broadcast by Rf1 And France 2, underlined: “The Pope is right to call for an uprising against indifference. Europe is the continent that does the most, we French do our part, we welcome more and more children. But we must also be rigorous, we have a generous social model and we cannot accept all the misery in the world”. A phrase, the one about welcoming “all the misery of the world”, which is a quote from the former socialist prime minister Michel Rocard, who pronounced it over 30 years ago while still talking about immigration (SKY TG24’S MIGRANTS SPECIAL). Macron then announced: French soldiers “will leave the territory of Niger by the end of the year” and that the French ambassador will be recalled to Paris after the coup.
“To Meloni I propose more funds for transit countries”
“I want to propose to the Italian Prime Minister to increase the funds allocated to transit countries”, starting with Tunisia and Algeria, Macron then said. “I want to export experts and equipment to them” to dismantle migrant smuggling networks. “I want to propose partnerships and resources to prevent these people from leaving. And when they arrive, we must have a European policy.” Macron added: “I want to work with the Italian Prime Minister, because she made a strong choice, which was not the one a few months ago, followed by Italy. I note that in her majority there are those who give simplistic and nationalists, where there was an Italy that said let’s not take any more boats, let’s send them elsewhere, Italy now takes its responsibilities for what we call the first safe port. We must play our role as Europeans and not leave only the Italians”.
“We need a coherent approach with the countries of origin”
“Italy has taken its responsibility by saying that it does not want to welcome the ships, in this way it has fulfilled its role as the country of arrival”, observed the French president. “We must have a coherent approach with the countries of origin – he added – The majority of migrants come from sub-Saharan Africa, where the countries have development aid. We must say ‘we help you, but you must help us dismantle the networks'” of traffickers.
“Call for common sense on work for irregular migrants”
Macron then invited everyone to “have common sense” regarding the “sectors in tension” in construction or catering regarding the issue of migrant work. According to the president, the immigration law, which the government will have to approve in the coming months, will on the one hand facilitate expulsions and on the other regularize illegal workers in jobs with the most manpower needs: “There are many sectors in tension who hire people who come from immigration. We must have common sense.” On the other hand, he explained, “we have to go much faster to effectively send back people who have no right to stay in our country.”
Meloni: I welcome Macron’s proposal with great interest
In a note, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni commented: “I welcome with great interest the proposal for collaboration from French President Emmanuel Macron on the fight against illegal immigration. It is clear that Italy, France and the EU must act together to support the States of origin of migrants and to help transit states to dismantle criminal networks of human traffickers. This is the direction that the Italian government has already taken and wants to pursue together with the European institutions and its European allies”.
“In Niger, France is not hostage to the coup plotters”
Regarding Niger, Macron spoke of “the end of military cooperation” calling for “an orderly return, in the weeks and months to come” of the French forces, with a return of all soldiers “by the end of the year”. Denying that France is “hostage to the coup plotters”, the president also decided to “bring the ambassador back”, once again expressing regret for the fall of the deposed president Mohamed Bazoum: “Francafrique no longer exists – he underlined – when there is It’s a coup d’état, let’s not intervene.”
“Nagorno-Karabakh? Russia complicit with Azerbaijan”
According to Macron, in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict “Russia is Azerbaijan’s accomplice”. The French president guaranteed his “unconditional” support for the Armenians, whom he said he “continues to support on a humanitarian and political level”.
“We will be the first in Europe to abandon coal”
Macron also announced the closure of the last two coal plants: “We must exit coal – he explained – by 2027, the two coal plants will be converted to biomass. We will be among the first in Europe”. From a general point of view on ecology, the French president assured that “we have made half the journey”: “We have reduced our CO2 emissions twice as fast in the last 5 years”.
Source-tg24.sky.it