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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Monday called for a tougher European approach to uncontrolled immigration, urging stricter returns, stronger border protection and migration solutions outside Europe.
"We don't accept uncontrolled immigration to Europe, and we have spearheaded a strict immigration policy; both in our home countries and in Europe," the two leaders said in a joint message posted on the U.S. social media platform Instagram.
Meloni and Frederiksen said they wanted to protect Europe from what they described as the negative effects of illegal immigration, citing rising crime rates, pressure on public services and declining public trust.
"The European populations, understandably, expect action from their politicians," they said.
The leaders said governments should "remain steadfast" in pursuing tangible solutions while ensuring security and protection for their communities.
Meloni and Frederiksen said they had helped shift the balance on the treatment of foreign nationals convicted of crimes under the European Convention on Human Rights.
"Together, we have succeeded in shifting the balance when it comes to criminal foreign nationals in the context of the European Convention on Human Rights. So more should now be expelled," they said.
They also called for the establishment of return hubs in third countries and other "innovative solutions" outside Europe, saying they were already working on such measures.
The two leaders also stressed that migrants should respect national laws and European values.
"We both are proud of Europe's Christian cultural heritage and want to protect it. We expect those who come to our countries and choose to make Europe their home to respect our values and not try to impose a way of life upon us that we do not want," they said.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani separately called for stronger protection of Europe's borders through an expanded role for EU border agency Frontex, action against criminal trafficking organizations and the creation of repatriation hubs in Africa.
"Ceuta has been a test case and a lesson: the fight against illegal immigration is a common task. Unilateral decisions by individual countries cannot offload their consequences onto partner countries," Tajani said on the U.S. social media platform X.
"Immigration must be managed together. Europe must protect its borders," he added.
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