EU civil war erupts as Italy accuses Spain of ‘shooting migrants’ at border | world | News

Spanish and Italian representatives clashed in a heated debate over European immigration policy during a summit of EU member states.

On Thursday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez condemned Italy’s plan to transport migrants to deportation centers outside the European Union.

At a press conference after a European Council meeting, he claimed the strategy would create “new problems”. He called for a more measured approach to ensure “orderly” migration and maintain European prosperity.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi then described his comments as “strange” and accused Spain of “shooting at immigrants trying to cross the border from Morocco.”

Piantedosi continued: “I think that Spain should take into account the balance of considerations regarding the specific policies it applies to curb illegal immigration in its territory.”

In June 2022, at least 37 people were killed and many more injured at the Moroccan-Spanish border after more than 1,500 people attempted to enter Spain illegally and seek asylum.

Border guards fired tear gas and fired rubber bullets at a crowded enclosure holding hundreds of people near the border and at migrants on the other side of the Spanish side.

Both Spanish and Moroccan authorities defended their actions in the days following the incident, claiming that the migrants were violent and that the measures used amounted to reasonable force.

As part of a tough new approach to tackling illegal immigration, Italy has opened two processing centers in Albania that could eventually transfer up to 36,000 asylum seekers each year.

Italy sent the first group of 16 migrants to the newly established Albanian centers on Monday.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the decision was “a new, bold and unprecedented way” to tackle Europe’s migration crisis.

Italy’s immigration model, while controversial, has received some praise from other European countries, including British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who expressed interest during a recent visit to Rome to meet the Italian Prime Minister.

However, human rights organizations have condemned the strategy. Eve Geddie, director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office, said: “It is shameful that the Italian government has decided to enforce this terrible agreement despite all the criticism and concerns from human rights organizations.”

“Not only is the plan incredibly harmful, it is also unlawful.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called on EU members to “continue to examine” the possible implementation of “repatriation centers”, citing the agreement between Italy and Albania as a possible model.