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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Matteo Salvini and Viktor Orbán to discuss anti-migration plan | Matteo Salvini and Viktor Orbán to discuss anti-migration plan |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Two of Europe’s most vocal anti-migration leaders, the Italian interior minister, Matteo Salvini, and Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, are to meet to discuss a plan to present to Brussels after the standoff over the refusal to allow people off a boat docked in Sicily. | Two of Europe’s most vocal anti-migration leaders, the Italian interior minister, Matteo Salvini, and Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, are to meet to discuss a plan to present to Brussels after the standoff over the refusal to allow people off a boat docked in Sicily. |
| Salvini, also the leader of the far-right League, prevented 177 asylum seekers from disembarking from the coastguard ship the Ubaldo Diciotti for almost a week as he called for guarantees that other EU member states would take most of them. | Salvini, also the leader of the far-right League, prevented 177 asylum seekers from disembarking from the coastguard ship the Ubaldo Diciotti for almost a week as he called for guarantees that other EU member states would take most of them. |
| The standoff has exposed tensions between Brussels and Rome with the Italian government threatening to suspend its EU budget contributions. Salvini announced his meeting with Orbán after the EU said it would not take those onboard, saying he would discuss “alternative strategies”. | The standoff has exposed tensions between Brussels and Rome with the Italian government threatening to suspend its EU budget contributions. Salvini announced his meeting with Orbán after the EU said it would not take those onboard, saying he would discuss “alternative strategies”. |
| Those stuck on the Diciotti were allowed to disembark on Saturday, with Ireland, Albania and the Italian church agreeing to take most of them. The European commission said threats were unhelpful and called on all countries to find a solution to help the people onboard. | Those stuck on the Diciotti were allowed to disembark on Saturday, with Ireland, Albania and the Italian church agreeing to take most of them. The European commission said threats were unhelpful and called on all countries to find a solution to help the people onboard. |
| The hardline Hungarian prime minister, whom Salvini has described as a political role model, has been among the most hostile to immigration in Europe and his Fidesz party re-elected in April promising to crack down on aid groups it says support migrants. “He is fighting to protect the EU’s borders,” Salvini said, “and this is our goal too.” | |
| The two leaders, despite sharing the same anti-migration platform, appear to disagree on the relocation of asylum seekers, however. Salvini is pushing for their distribution among EU nations, whereas Orbán stands with Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia in saying no. | |
| Orbán brushed off their differences as he prepared for the meeting. “Me and Salvini, we seem to share the same destiny. He is my hero,” he told reporters outside a restaurant where he had lunch in Milan. | |
| “Looking forward to meeting with him. I have some experiences I wanted to share with him. I have a good feeling on this.” | |
| Thousands of left-wing activists meanwhile gathered in Milan to protest against Salvini and Orbán. | |
| The meeting, which is expected to focus on an anti-migration plan taking in relocation and border security, follows talks between the Italian prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, and his Czech counterpart, Andrej Babiš, who has opposed relocating refugees and migrants Conte will also visit Moscow in October, Russian news agencies said on Tuesday. | |
| “The consequences of the Diciotti case and the way Italy is dealing with migration in general risks destabilising the equilibrium of a Europe that is still glued to its national interests,” said Massimiliano Panarari, a politics professor at Luiss University in Rome. | “The consequences of the Diciotti case and the way Italy is dealing with migration in general risks destabilising the equilibrium of a Europe that is still glued to its national interests,” said Massimiliano Panarari, a politics professor at Luiss University in Rome. |
| “Italy has become a laboratory of European populism and risks moving away not only from Europe, but also from western democracies and getting closer, together with Orbán’s Hungary, to [Russia’s Vladimir] Putin, who enjoys Salvini’s manifestations of sympathy.” | “Italy has become a laboratory of European populism and risks moving away not only from Europe, but also from western democracies and getting closer, together with Orbán’s Hungary, to [Russia’s Vladimir] Putin, who enjoys Salvini’s manifestations of sympathy.” |
| Italian media also suggested the meeting may focus on a possible alliance between populist parties for the 2019 European parliamentary elections. | Italian media also suggested the meeting may focus on a possible alliance between populist parties for the 2019 European parliamentary elections. |
| Salvini was placed under investigation last week by Italian prosecutors from Agrigento, Sicily, for the potential abuse of office, kidnapping and illegal detention, relating to his refusal to allow those onboard the Diciotti to disembark. | Salvini was placed under investigation last week by Italian prosecutors from Agrigento, Sicily, for the potential abuse of office, kidnapping and illegal detention, relating to his refusal to allow those onboard the Diciotti to disembark. |
| Their release on Saturday will not stop the investigation into Salvini, who governs in coalition with the populist and anti-establishment Five Star Movement, after an election campaign this year in which he vowed to adopt tough polices on immigration. | Their release on Saturday will not stop the investigation into Salvini, who governs in coalition with the populist and anti-establishment Five Star Movement, after an election campaign this year in which he vowed to adopt tough polices on immigration. |
| Salvini has repeatedly said Italy would “no longer be Europe’s refugee camp”, and as first evidence of the new government’s hardline approach closed all Italian seaports to rescue boats operated by NGOs in the Mediterranean. | Salvini has repeatedly said Italy would “no longer be Europe’s refugee camp”, and as first evidence of the new government’s hardline approach closed all Italian seaports to rescue boats operated by NGOs in the Mediterranean. |
| Matteo Salvini | Matteo Salvini |
| Viktor Orbán | Viktor Orbán |
| Italy | Italy |
| Hungary | Hungary |
| Migration | Migration |
| The far right | The far right |
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