The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, assured this Thursday from Brussels that the basis of all its policies is the defense “of international law” in “all places in the world”, also in reference to migration, which has been the key issue of this European Council. “We have to be coherent,” he said at a press conference, because otherwise “we lose moral authority”. Therefore, “we do not have to give up humanity” to look at migration. “If we do it it will weaken” the European Union.
“Orderly, responsible and well-managed migration is the answer to the demographic challenge facing Europe and also Spain,” summarized the head of the Executive, giving a different approach than that given, for example, by Italy and Hungary. “Our credibility before the rest of the world also depends on how migration is managed”he said, recalling the work of “Spanish migration” a few decades ago. “We are aware that the debate generates conflicting positions but ultimately it tells us what Europe we want to be.” For Sánchez, the key is to think “about the new generations and not about the next elections” in order to “respond to the challenge.” There are tools, such as the migration pact: Spain asks that it come into force in 2025.
The Spanish Government considers that the Rome roadmap “does not solve problems and generates new ones.” Thus, their commitment is “a more comprehensive approach” that includes support with third countries. “More coordination, anticipation with the immigration pact and logically everything that has to do with even economic aspects,” concluded Pedro Sánchez. “The approach we take is always positive,” he added because migration for Moncloa is “important to also ensure economic growth.”
The reality is that they left their homework for later, but it was confirmed that the strongest rejection of Meloni’s plan is that of Spain: the Government does not like the centers although Sánchez did not even speak to the press upon his arrival in the summit. Moncloa insists that this path is, informally speaking, bread for today and hunger for tomorrow. Germany does not see it favorably either, although more for a practical matter: “It is clear that concepts that, when you look at the figures, represent a few drops in the ocean, are not really a solution for a country as big as us,” he noted. Olaf Scholz.
In the conclusions, the reality is that they tiptoe around Meloni’s idea and make it clear that Any measure taken has to be done in accordance with “EU values” and international law, so the door is not completely closed but they indirectly warn of the limits. At the same time, the document insists on the need to “preserve the correct functioning of the Schengen area.”
But there was even a kind of warm-up, because Meloni with a dozen partners to seek a common position beforehand. At that parallel summit there were Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands, Austria, Cyprus, Poland, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Malta, Slovakia and the European Commissionin addition to extending the invitation, for example, to the German Chancellor, who, like France, declined to attend. Both Spain and the Baltics got out of it, of course, and Pedro Sánchez made it clear from the first moment that he is against these centers, because he considers them “a temporary solution.”
Regarding the Middle East, Sánchez maintained the line marked in recent weeks, defending the work of the blue helmets. “I want to express a message of support to our soldiers,” said Sánchez. At the same time, he again requested that the Association Agreement between the EU and Israel be reviewed to verify that Tel Aviv is respecting international law humanitarian; Spain also wants to stop exporting weapons to Israel in the current context. He says that the objective is to “deter Netanyahu” and to do so it is key to “recognize the State of Palestine” because “Europe as a whole is committed to the two-state solution.”
