Since the start of this year, Tunisian authorities have successfully stopped over 61,000 migrants from departing for European shores, according to a statement from Italy’s Ministry of the Interior. The ministry highlighted this as evidence of the significant efforts made by both origin and transit countries in curbing irregular migration.
Italy’s Interior Minister, Matteo Piantedosi, emphasized the government’s ongoing efforts to increase regular migration channels, pointing out a program that allowed 452,000 legal entries over three years. He stressed the importance of fine-tuning legislation to better align labor demands with the supply of migrant workers, particularly in specific geographic areas and industries. Piantedosi also underlined the critical role of employer organizations and the need for training in transit countries.
Piantedosi reiterated that legal entry into Italy must be tied to employment contracts, noting that this is not only a European rule but also a practical approach to prevent migrants from being lured into illegal activities such as drug trafficking in urban areas.
Regarding citizenship, Piantedosi called for a careful approach, rejecting hasty reforms like ius soli (citizenship based on birthplace) and ius scholae (citizenship for those who attend school in Italy). He noted that Italy has granted more citizenships than any other European country, issuing over 200,000 in 2022, with a rate more than double that of Germany and France in relation to the immigrant population.