MED5, a two-day meeting of the interior ministers of five European countries bordering the Mediterranean, concluded at the Royal Palace in Naples.
Italy, Spain, Greece, Cyprus and Malta were represented, with Hans Lattens, the European Interior and Migration Commissioner and Executive Director of Front Exus.
At the end of the summit, the minister signed the joint declaration.
Piantedosi: Immigrants sent to Albania are considered “dangerous”
“We all recognized the need to strengthen our FrontX,” said Italian Minister of Home Affairs Matteo Piantedosi at a press conference at the end of the summit.
“It is also our intention to address voluntary returns, a measure we consider important, especially when supported by concrete actions that support returnees in economic and social reintegration in the country of origin,” Piantedosi added.
According to the Minister, it is a priority for the European Union to maintain appropriate levels of funding, “It is a priority to launch specific initiatives on voluntary returns as soon as possible, and to take a qualitative leap and outline actual common strategies.
In response to questions from journalists regarding the relocation of irregular migrants to Albania, the minister argued that these are individuals considered dangerous. “Of the 40 people transported to Albania, there were five cases of convictions for sexual violence, one case of attempted murder, and previous convictions for weapons, property crimes, theft, resistance to civil servants and personal injury,” Piantedosi said.
“We have a large sample of precedents, which allows us to identify the characterization of those deemed dangerous, and therefore are subject to detention as provided by our law,” he added, explaining why we are handcuffed migrants while disembarking from a vessel that arrived in Albania on Friday.
“An reason for these containment measures being implemented is to protect the safety of police officers as well.
Strengthen Frontex and provide more funding to combat illegal immigration
Ministers Matteo Piantedosi (Italy), Nicholas A. Joannides (Deputy Minister Cyprus), Makis Voridis (Greece), Byron Camilleri (Malta) and Fernando Grande-Marlaska Gómez (Spain) reaffirmed in their joint declaration their commitment to develop a common political vision on the most relevant issues of the European migration agenda.
They also reaffirmed the importance of European agreements on migration and asylum in Europe, committed to its effective implementation, and sought immediate and unconditional funding based on their needs to support the necessary fulfillment of PACT obligations within the current perennial financial framework.
At the same time, they called for an increase in allocation to internal and external dimensions of asylum, movement, and border control within the next MFF, taking into account the fact that external boundaries are managed for the interests of the union as a whole, along with the increasing burden of frontline member states.
Focus on human rights
According to the MED5 Minister, the focus of member states and European institutions must explore appropriate innovative solutions to address irregular migration, including new ways to prevent and counter irregular migration in line with EU and international law, prevent asylum and return, and ensure sustainable solutions.
“We emphasize that an effective return policy is essential to a well-functioning asylum system and therefore essential to the integrity of the European agreement on migration and asylum,” they said, welcoming the European Commission’s efforts to increase the efficiency of the revenue process by providing member states with a common standard for effective return management.
“We are also calling on the European Commission to launch certain initiatives on subsidized returns from third countries of immigration to migrant countries, including organisations of international conferences, within the framework of the Global Alliance against migrant smuggling,” the Minister adds, repeating the terms and repeating the residency of the community and individuals inhabiting the national security and dignity.
“Respect for human rights is our most important pillar, as respect for these rights is the cornerstone of the values of the European Union,” said Grande Marlasca of Spain.
Regarding immigration centres in Albania, he explained that he needs to know what European institutions think.
