Italy’s Salvini reiterates stance on refusing asylum seekers

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has intensified his stance on refusing to take more asylum seekers into the country, ahead of a top-level meeting between some EU states to discuss migration and asylum issues.

“Should Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte go to Sunday’s meeting in Brussels just to sign proposals prepared by Germany and France, the prime minister will do well to save on travel expenses,’’ Salvini on Thursday.

Earlier, Salvini had made it clear that Italy expects progress in reforming the so-called Dublin rule, which stipulates that refugees should be sent back to the first EU country where they registered an asylum bid and was unwilling to make concessions.

He rebuffed suggestions that Italy should take back asylum seekers turned away at the German border.

“The Italian government is only prepared to help the Italians. So instead of taking, we are prepared to give,’’ the head of the anti-immigrant League said in Rome on Wednesday.

He also threatened to rethink Italy’s payments to the EU budget if there was no reform of the Dublin rule.

Sunday’s meeting, which comes days before coming week’s EU summit in Brussels, is an informal meeting of several EU Member States to discuss migration and asylum issues.

In addition to Italy, Germany, France, Austria and Spain are among those taking part.