France Calls for Cooperation from Italy on Migrant Issue

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, on Friday, June 15, called on Giuseppe Conte, the new Prime Minister of Italy, to collaborate with France, Spain, and Germany to address the issue of migrants and refugees. According to Reuters, Emmanuel Macron, after meeting with Giuseppe Conte in Paris, told reporters: "I deeply hope that France and Italy, especially alongside partners like Germany and Spain, will work together to provide and solve (issues) for Europe." In recent days, Macron's comments regarding Italy's approach to migrants have caused tensions in the relations between the two countries. The French President described the new Italian government's decision to deny permission for a ship carrying 629 migrants to dock at its ports as a "pessimistic and irresponsible" act. In response, Italy demanded an apology from France. Macron stated that he did not intend to offend Italy and its people. Reuters reports that on Friday, the leaders of the two countries tried to avoid direct answers to questions regarding this issue during their press conference. Giuseppe Conte mentioned that there may have been some tensions on certain days, but now they are in full agreement. The Italian Prime Minister added that it is essential for the European Union to establish offices outside its borders to accept refugees to prevent deadly journeys. The United Nations states that in 2017, at least three thousand refugees trying to reach Europe via the Mediterranean Sea were killed. According to Reuters, African refugees aiming to reach Europe travel by boat from Libya to Italy, but last year many refugees reached Spain via Morocco. The European Union has been facing a flood of refugees from Middle Eastern and African countries since 2014, and there are differing opinions among its members on how to address migration issues. Recent polls indicate that the issue of migrants is the most significant concern for European voters. Some European countries argue that each country should make its own decisions regarding migrants, while France, Germany, and Spain advocate for collective cooperation among EU members to resolve this issue.