Salvini teams up with Austrian and German hardliners to send THIS warning to Brussels
MATTEO Salvini teamed up with his hardline German and Austrian counterparts to send a stern warning to EU over the implementation of their radical proposals to tackle illegal immigration at the EU external borders.
Salvini holds press conference with Seehofer and Kickl
The three EU interior ministers vowed to push Brussels into implementing their renewed strategy to allow sincere refugees to cross the European external borders before they can freely move within the bloc.
Mr Salvini, the Italian interior minister and Deputy Prime Minister, claimed the tripartite meeting had finally turned "Italian proposals into European one".
The Italian eurosceptic vowed he would refuse any more migrants at the Italian borders coming from North Africa until Brussels approved his proposals.
He added: “If arrivals in Europe are reduced there will be no problem at the internal borders of the EU and we can continue to work peacefully among peoples as we intend to do.”
German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, who has been locked in a brawl with German Chancellor Angela Merkel over German borders, said it was time Germany, Austria and Italy "changed gears in Europe".
The trio vowed to radically reform EU asylum rules and accelerate deportation of illegal immigrants from the bloc.
Austrian Interior Minister Herbert Kickl dubbed the trio "the axis of the willing".
Mr Kickl argued it was now up to the European Union to act upon their proposals.
Matteo Salvini meets the Italian army in Libya
If arrivals in Europe are reduced there will be no problem at the internal borders of the EU
He added: "Things are relatively simple. Us three agree on trying to bring some order in Europe.
"We want to send the clear message that in future it should not be possible to stomp on European soil you do not have the right of refuge and protection."
On Wednesday, Mr Seehofer claimed a deal with the Italian Deputy Prime Minister on migration will be reached by the end of July.
Mr Salvini said he and Seehofer shared a "common objective: fewer landings, fewer deaths, fewer migrants in Italy as well as in Germany".
Salvini made clear that he expected to see more action to toughen the EU's external frontiers before agreeing to any deal to take back migrants.
He said: "We requested and received support to strengthen the external borders, to intervene in Libya, to have funds for Africa and reduce the number of journeys.
"Before accepting a single immigrant in Italy, we want Europe to protect its external borders.
"When that becomes a reality we can talk about all the rest."