Italy intends to go to the European Court of Justice against Austria because of border controls in reaction to the illegal immigrants who arrived in Lampedusa. Last June, however, the two countries praised their common positions on illegal immigration.
As Austria puts border controls in place with Italy in reaction to the more than 12,000 migrants who arrived on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa last week, its neighbor threatens to file an appeal to the European Court of Justice against another Schengen and European Union member state.
In an interview with the Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, from the conservative Austrian People’s Party, said this weekend that authorities increased police search at the border with Italy to “fight against smugglers’ routes.”
But he also announced Austria would increase border control with Italy, even if people’s apprehension of illegal entries at the Brenner Pass, a mountain pass over the Alps that forms the border between Italy and Austria, has so far increased “marginally” but “not noticeably.”
On Monday, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini strongly criticized the Austrian government and its plan. On X (ex-Twitter), he declared that “Vienna’s decision to tighten controls on vehicles coming from Italy is a slap in the face to the European solidarity,” and a “serious offense to Italian law enforcement and volunteers who have been engaged in defending European borders for years.”
The prime minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, a strong critic of the European Union, called for solidarity from the other member states in dealing with the migrants who arrived in Lampedusa.
While Mr. Salvini and Mr. Nehammer share similar views on anti-migration policy, he called out the “illegitimate and discriminatory bans” against Italy and argued that instead of building “forts in the Alps, punishing workers such as truck drivers and tourists,” Austria “should send means and men to help out on the Mediterranean.”
Austria defends that border control in Carinthia and the Tyrol regions can be increased during a short period. The ministry of interior said authorities focus on controls against human trafficking with the search for vehicles used by traffickers.
But for Mr. Salvini, it is an “act of violence and arrogance,” leading to “unfair Austrian competition against European entrepreneurs and truckers” as it blocks the primary Italian road access to Northern Europe.
Italy has, therefore, decided to appeal the decision to the European Court of Justice against another European Union member state. “This is a strong, unusual but necessary gesture,” continued the minister of transportation on Wednesday, who seeks to “put an end to this disgrace.”
In June, Giorgia Meloni visited Austria, a first in eight years for an Italian president of the Council of Ministers, after a visit by the Chancellor in Italy a month before.
She then praised that the two governments shared the same views on migration and highlighted their “cooperation” to “change the paradigm of the European Council regarding the issue of illegal migration flows.” She concluded that their “relations will intensify further in the coming months and years.”
France also announced it would reinforce police forces at the border with Italy.
