Italy refuses Germany's Dublin migrant returns, citing pre-pact bilateral agreement

Italy's formal refusal

Italy has formally notified Germany that it will not accept the return of three migrants Berlin intends to expel under the Dublin Regulation, citing their status as nationals who first arrived in Italy before moving on. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi sent a written communication to his German counterpart Alexander Dobrindt after days of diplomatic contacts and a phone conversation between the two ministers. The letter, described by two parliamentary sources consulted by Il Messaggero as cordial but firm, asks Dobrindt to "impart the necessary provisions" to prevent the transfers. Piantedosi informed Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of the decision, which sources describe as irrevocable.

The three migrants are identified as Rania Darezh, an Iraqi citizen; Abdirisaq Warsame Faduma, a 22-year-old Somali citizen who landed at Lampedusa and moved to Hesse on March 31, where her family lives regularly; and Hotak Samir, an Afghan citizen. Germany had already signed transfer decrees, with flights scheduled for August 17, 19, and 20. The first case, that of the Somali citizen, was reported by La Repubblica in recent days.

Legal arguments

Italy bases its refusal on two arguments. First, all three cases predate June 12, 2026, when the new European Pact on Migration and Asylum entered into force. Rome contends they therefore fall under the bilateral agreement reached with Germany at an intergovernmental summit in Rome, which zeroed out the pending "accounts" of Dublin returnees. Italy had already made "tabula rasa" of Dublin agreements in January. The letter cites an "extremely unstable" context and excessive migratory pressure on EU member states as preventing the reactivation of Dublin agreements.

Second, Italy demands that before accepting any transfers, a "compensation" mechanism be established that accounts for migrants rescued and brought to Italian shores by German-flagged NGO vessels. The issue could become concrete in coming days: a German NGO ship with 65 people on board is expected to arrive at the port of Ravenna, which the Italian government views as a first test case for cooperation with Berlin.

Political pressures

The standoff comes at a delicate moment for both governments. Chancellor Friedrich Merz is promoting a hard line on immigration, with less than three weeks before elections in Saxony where the AfD is polling above 40%. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni faces pressure from the right, where Roberto Vannacci's Futuro nazionale challenges her on immigration. According to La Repubblica, Meloni does not seek conflict with Merz, whom she views as the only leading EU figure she can align with, given her rupture with Spain's Pedro Sánchez and strained relations with France's Emmanuel Macron.

Despite the firm refusal, the letter contains an invitation to continue collaborating and coordinating on the dossier. Germany had expressed surprise on Wednesday at the publicity surrounding the three expulsions. Rome now awaits Berlin's official response. The decision risks opening a new front in the European debate on secondary migrants and Dublin rules, just as the two countries seek an understanding on redistribution mechanisms and returns.