Italian Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi recently articulated the importance of defending European Union (EU) borders after the Council of Ministers approved a new legislative draft aimed at implementing the EU's Pact on Migration and Asylum. This legislation, announced as a crucial step towards improving incoming immigration flow management, reflects a significant policy shift away from the more lenient approaches of previous governments, in response to a growing concern about border security and immigration control.

The new bill includes measures to strengthen expulsion processes and enhance the capacity to manage migration flows more effectively. Piantedosi noted that it also grants the government the power to deny entry into Italian territorial waters for reasons pertaining to national security. This emphasizes Italy's strategic position within the EU, as stated by Piantedosi, who remarked, "The borders of Italy are the borders of Europe," underlining the collective responsibility of EU member states toward migration management.

The proposed measures have sparked backlash from left-wing political groups and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), who argue that such policies are inhumane and could lead to violations of human rights. The discussion surrounding the bill reflects broader tensions within the EU regarding migration and asylum policies, particularly as member states negotiate their approaches to balancing security concerns with humanitarian obligations.