“The vast majority of European nations share the position Italy has expressed in recent days,” Meloni told Italian financial newspaper Milano Finanza, Anadolu Agency reported.
She said Europe’s priorities should include protecting its external borders, preventing security and terrorism risks and safeguarding the freedom of movement that underpins the Schengen system.
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Meloni said the “serious migration crisis” in Ceuta, along with the possibility of another influx on Saturday, required Italy to remain “extremely vigilant” and take all necessary measures.
Italy recently introduced temporary air and sea border controls with Spain after more than 70,000 migrants arrived in Ceuta in late July.
The move triggered criticism from Madrid, which argued that Ceuta is outside the Schengen area and that migrants arriving there cannot freely travel onward to other European countries.
Spanish authorities also accused Rome of using the migration issue for domestic political purposes.
Spain subsequently introduced similar border controls for travelers arriving from Italy.
Meloni’s comments come as migration remains a politically sensitive issue across the European Union, with member states divided over how to manage arrivals and distribute responsibility for asylum seekers.
Rising energy costs
Meloni also addressed Italy’s rising energy costs, saying her government plans to allocate an additional €14 billion ($16.1 billion) over the next two years to help households and businesses cope with higher expenses.
She reaffirmed Rome’s commitment to developing nuclear energy, calling it “the real solution” for strengthening Italy’s energy security and achieving significantly lower costs over the medium and long term.
“The Italian economy is holding up well, and the data for the first two quarters of 2026 are encouraging,” Meloni said.
The International Monetary Fund expects Italy’s economy to expand by 0.5% in both 2026 and 2027, according to its July World Economic Outlook.
Meloni also said Italy’s budget deficit had fallen from 8.1% of gross domestic product when her government took office to 3.1%.
At the same time, she said government spending on health care, welfare and public-sector contracts had increased.
