Confirmed Meloni-linked Media Outlets Hail from Solingen
"Germany Looks to Italy in Light of Solingen Attack," titles left-leaning Italian paper "La Repubblica." The piece suggests that Germany aims to reimplement the Dublin Agreement, which mandates asylum seekers to apply in their initial EU entry country. Individuals moving on to other countries, such as Germany, would then be sent back to their point of initial entry. However, Rome unilaterally scrapped this rule in late 2022, with the new, right-wing government led by Giorgia Meloni citing overcrowded reception centers as justification.
According to "La Repubblica," the Italian government has no intention of accepting migrants sent back from Germany. Berlin's announcement is interpreted as a response to the IS attack in Solingen, taken by a Syrian asylum seeker who should have remained in Bulgaria according to the Dublin Agreement, instead of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Meloni's media ally dismisses knife control
Italian politicians have remained quiet on the attack, including the nationalist Lega leader, deputy prime minister, and infrastructure minister, Matteo Salvini. However, the brutal incident has garnered significant attention in the Italian media. Depending on their political leanings, opinions and analyses vary. Pro-government publications and broadcasters seem to validate their stance with subtle mockery and arrogance.
For example, daily newspaper "Il Secolo d'Italia," founded in 1952 and originally the party organ of the neofascist MSI (Movimento Sociale Italiano), now under Meloni's Fratelli d'Italia, headlined on August 27: "Migrants, Scholz realizes Italy's policy is correct."
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz appears "ridiculous with stricter knife regulations." The article ponders the question of whether kitchen knives will also be subject to stricter laws in the future, considering they can still be used for attack. "Proposals like these highlight the challenging situation Scholz finds himself in. He has no choice but to make such statements," the article notes, though their effectiveness is questioned.
The right-wing daily newspaper "il Giornale," once owned by Silvio Berlusconi and now overseen by the Angelucci family, who are close to the government, especially the Lega, questioned "the fall of an illusion." The newspaper recalled Merkel's 2015 assertion, "We can do it," and suggested that it represented the largest post-war integration program, albeit a somewhat bitter conclusion mentioned. "With this self-motivating magical formula, Angela Merkel decided to accept a massive number of Syrian refugees who had fled a brutal civil war. Germany became a country of welcome, while Italy had to put up with criticism, scorn, and lectures from Europe and their left-wing camp," was the conclusion.
The daily newspaper "il Tempo" featured "Migrants, Germany Mimics Meloni's Approach – Scholz Adopts Tougher Stance Against Migrants," while the deputy editor-in-chief of "Il Giornale," Nicola Porro, took a stance on Solingen: "Ah, the terrorist was a refugee," and "These are the outcomes of a careless acceptance policy." Porro lamented, "Tell the victims that the open doors in the style of Angela Merkel were always good and right. Tell the woman and the two men who were left dead with slit throats in a pool of blood during the 'Celebration of Diversity' in Solingen, Germany. The difference between rules and 'unregulated acceptance' lies in a country's ability to prevent immigration from leading to discomfort, problems, and terror."
The Catholic daily newspaper "L'Avvenire," published by the Italian Bishops' Conference, presented a more balanced perspective, attributing a pioneering role to Italy, particularly in targeted and regulated deportations of radicalized foreigners. The assessment refers not only to Solingen but also to the attempted synagogue attack in southern France the day after and the international context, emphasizing Gaza Strip's dire living conditions. "The Italian method of targeted and strictly regulated deportations of foreigners suspected of radicalization (120 such deportations have transpired in the past 18 months, at least 60 since October 7) seems to be the right strategy to control sporadic attacks and prevent the formation of structured groups," the article argued, suggesting a preventive approach without causing widespread panic.
In response to Germany's announcement to send back asylum seekers under the Dublin Agreement, "Il Tempo" wrote, "Germany Mimics Meloni's Approach – Scholz Adopts Tougher Stance Against Migrants." Meanwhile, under the pressure from the right-wing media, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is contemplating stricter knife regulations, as suggested by "Il Secolo d'Italia."
