Meloni Slams Germany and France for Taking Just 95 of the 94,000 Illegals Who Arrived this Year

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has slammed France and Germany for only taking less than a hundred of the nearly 94,000 migrants who have arrived in Italy this year as part of a voluntary redistribution scheme.

Prime Minister Meloni spoke out on the topic of illegal immigration in the Italian parliament this week saying, “out of 94,000 landed, 38 migrants have been relocated to France and 57 to Germany,” noting Italy is the main port of disembarkation for migrants in Europe.

“I believe that in Europe the same rights and duties of everyone should apply, I believe that the solution that can make everyone agree is to stop departures and defend European borders,” Meloni told the parliament, Il Giornale reports.

Meloni also noted the anger from France after a single migrant taxi NGO ship with just under 250 on board was forced to dock in Toulon, rather than in Italy.

Despite promising to take in 3,500 migrants from other European Union member-states under a redistribution scheme, France has received just 38 people since June.https://t.co/GmJryqsuug

— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) November 13, 2022

“Colleagues of the left, were you not struck by the reaction of the French in front of the first NGO ship that landed migrants in France, did it not seem strange to you? Italy is obliged to do what others are not willing to do,” Meloni said.

After the NGO ship Ocean Viking docked in Toulon, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, speaking in the French parliament, claimed Italy has acted as an “enemy” of France by refusing to allow the ship to dock at an Italian port.

Prime Meloni added that less than 30 per cent of the migrants who arrived this year will be eligible for asylum and a right to assistance, stating, “We must distinguish between refugees and illegal migrants, otherwise we risk penalizing those who need it most.”

While Meloni and her government have vowed to take the issue of illegal immigration, so far little has been achieved in the area, as migrant taxi NGO ships were able to dock in Italy last weekend despite Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi previously stating they would not be welcome in Italian ports.

Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at @TomlinsonCJ or email at ctomlinson(at)breitbart.com.