Rome, 8 June 2023 (dpa/MIA) - The European migration and refugee crisis can only be solved with a joint plan backed by all EU countries, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized after a meeting in Rome on Thursday with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

"Those who want to overcome the challenges associated with refugee migration can only do so together in the European Union," Scholz said.

"All attempts to either leave the problems with someone else or to point the finger at others will fail," he added.

Meloni, from the far-right Fratelli d'Italia (Brothers of Italy) party, wants to prevent the many migrants arriving on Italy's shores via the Mediterranean from crossing from North Africa.

Her measures have repeatedly attracted harsh criticism, for example when Rome arrested volunteer sea rescuers on two German ships recently because they had not followed the new, strict rules of Meloni's government.

Rescuers complain about harassment and have protested against the measures, which in their view endanger human lives in the Mediterranean.

It was the chancellor's first visit to the Italian capital since the leader of the radical party took over the government in October.

Meloni, who had sharply attacked Germany as an opposition politician, paid her inaugural visit to Berlin in February but struck a conciliatory tone then and also on Thursday.

The leaders also agreed to revive German-Italian intergovernmental consultations.

The talks in Germany are due to take place again in the third quarter of this year and for the first time since 2016. The last meeting of this kind was held in Italy.

Germany only holds intergovernmental consultations, involving the heads of government and several ministers, with particularly close partners including China, India and Brazil.

Scholz thanked Meloni for the "warm welcome" in Rome and emphasized "how close and trusting the relations between our countries are."

He added: "Italy is an important partner and reliable friend for us."

Parallel to Scholz's trip, the interior ministers of the European Union are trying in Luxembourg to initiate a major reform of the European asylum system.

This involves a much more rigid approach to migrants without prospects of staying and an obligation to support the particularly burdened member states at the EU's external borders, which includes Italy.

Photo: EPA