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by Tiziana Di Giovannandrea

20 March 2021 Italy, Greece, Spain, Cyprus and Malta, the countries at the forefront and first reception of migrants and asylum seekers, gathered in a 'two days', in Athens, to discuss common lines on the new European Pact on migration and asylum.



The Ministers of the Interior of Italy, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Malta, then our Minister of the Interior, Luciana Lamorgese and her Spanish counterparts, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, Greek, Notis participated in the work of the 'Med-5' in Athens. Mitarachi;

Cypriot, Nikos Nouris and Maltese Byron Camilleri. 



Two fundamentally emerged from the works: the creation of operational mechanisms of solidarity among the members of the EU and equity in the distribution of migrants throughout Europe.



The Minister of the Interior,

Luciana Lamorgese

, at the end of the work of the 'Med-5' declared: "One of the priority themes is to provide for operational solidarity mechanisms capable of starting in the coming months, on the basis of the Agreements defined in Malta in September 2019 ".

"In the negotiations on the European Pact - added the owner of the Interior Ministry - an imbalance remains between the measures of responsibility and those on solidarity. Our main objective remains that of rebalancing these two fundamental aspects of the Pact and, therefore, I am grateful to Greece that has allowed us, together with Spain, Cyprus and Malta, to consolidate a unitary position. There is a strong need to keep the front of the Mediterranean countries united in order to guide, with a constructive spirit and collaboration with all member countries, the negotiations on the new European immigration and asylum pact ".

During the work of the 'Med-5', Minister Lamorgese shared with his colleagues from the Mediterranean countries to encourage the efforts made by the Commission to launch strategic partnership agreements, key tools for sustainable economic development in the countries of origin and transit of migratory flows and for the definition of a European return system.



Italy, Spain, Greece, Cyprus and Malta also promoted a

joint declaration

in which they ask the European Union for a

more equitable sharing of responsibility in migration matters

and underline the need for the future European Pact on Migration and Asylum "to establish cooperation. real and more effective ".



In the agreed text, the five ministers note that there are "considerable imbalances in the proposed legislative texts, which are still far from being fully governed by the principle of solidarity and fair sharing of responsibility, as established in Article 80 of the Treaty establishing the Union. European ".

"We must guarantee effective European solidarity with all migrants and asylum seekers, regardless of how they reached the territory of the EU, taking into account the

need to

establish an automatic and

mandatory

relocation mechanism

", they say.

At the same time, the signatory countries emphasize the

need

for real and effective cooperation with countries of origin and transit

, the only way to "avoid primary and secondary movements, smuggling of migrants and loss of life" .



Another of the requests is the

creation of a

centrally managed European return

mechanism

, which is coordinated by the European Commission and supported by the EU agencies involved, such as Frontex. 



Grande-Marlaska, for Spain, stressed that the meeting was "fundamental to strengthen our negotiating position, keep our union firm and speak with one voice in defense of the interests of the countries of first arrival. Spain, in coordination. with the other Med5 countries, and in permanent contact with the other member states and institutions of the EU, it maintains a negotiating position based on the defense of a common European policy on migration, asylum and borders, respectful of principles and EU values ​​", he declared.



The new Pact on Migration, presented by the European Commission, provides for closer cooperation with the countries of origin of migrants with development aid, investment, trade and a strengthening of legal immigration channels.