Poland, Italy agree that protection of EU’s external borders is priority

ATHENS

The Polish prime minister said Wednesday his country and Italy agree that protection of the EU’s external borders should be a priority.

“Sealing external borders is a fundamental issue for us. That is why Poland does not tolerate illegal immigration,” Mateusz Morawiecki said in a press conference alongside visiting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the capital of Warsaw.

“Against this background, we also oppose the latest EU migration deal which proposes penalties on countries, such as Poland, for not accepting illegal migrants,” he added.

Morawiecki claimed Poland and Italy also have very similar, if not identical positions regarding giving Ukraine the strongest possible security guarantees at NATO’s Summit in Lithuania set for July 11 - 12.

Meloni said: "The EU should mind the interests of all countries and stop illegal immigration before it reaches Europe."

She also argued that she understands “perfectly well” Poland's position in terms of an asylum and migration pact or the EU migrant relocation plan.

“The EU does not fully appreciate the sacrifice of countries that have accepted many migrants from Ukraine,” she added.​​​​​​​