Solidarity and the EU Migration Crisis; Rama-Meloni Pact Through the Media Lens

Authors

  • Joana Kosho Faculty of Human Sciences, “A. Xhuvani” University, Albania

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47152/ziksi2025124

Keywords:

solidarity, migration, European Union, media, Rama-Meloni pact

Abstract

Solidarity is a complex, multidimensional and sometimes an evasive concept. Solidarity is deeply linked with the humanitarian crisis, like the one the European Union has been facing since 2015: the refugee crisis. Waves of immigrants and asylum seekers have arrived in EU countries like in Italy, Greece, etc., thus creating some serious challenges for the European institutions, citizens and politics, while also making the headlines in the European media. The importance of solidarity in a migration crisis is institutionalized in the new European Pact on Migration and Asylum, approved by the EU Parliament in June 2024. This makes it crucial to study the correlation between solidarity, migration and media. Using critical theories on media and communication, studying the significance of any text, practice or communicative element of media content, I aim to highlight how the European and Albanian media have covered the collaboration between Italy and Albania, represented by the Rama-Meloni ‘Migration Pact’, in terms of solidarity and migration. This study aims to understand of the role of solidarity in the EU migration crisis, by focusing on studies of solidarity, migration and media, using statistics and global indexes, as well as European and Albanian media monitoring.

References

Adu, A. (2024, September 17). Giorgia Meloni: Starmer showed 'great interest' in our Albania migration deal. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/sep/16/giorgia-meloni-starmer-showed-great-interest-in-our-albania-migration-deal

AFP (2024, February 20). Solidarity or rejection: Albanian migration to Italy. France 24. https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240220-solidarity-or-rejection-albanian-migration-to-italy

Agenzia Nova (2024). Migrants: Meloni and Rama defend the Italy-Albania agreement, the two centers will be operational from August 1st. https://www.agenzianova.com/en/news/migranti-per-laccordo-italia-albania-670-milioni-in-cinque-anni-meloni-funzionera-e-diventera-un-modello/

Arendt, H. (1958). The Human Condition. The University of Chicago Press.

Arendt, H. (1990). Philosophy and Politics. Social Research, 57, 73–103.

Barbati, G. (2023, November 7). Albania to host migrants arriving to Italy pending processing of asylum applications. Euronews. https://www.euronews.com/2023/11/07/albania-to-host-migrants-arriving-to-italy-pending-processing-of-asylum-applications

Brändle, V. K., Eisele, O., & Trenz, H. J. (2019). Contesting European Solidarity During the “Refugee Crisis”: A Comparative Investigation of Media Claims in Denmark, Germany, Greece and Italy. Mass Communication and Society, 22(6), 708–732. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15205436.2019.1674877

Cinalli, M., Trenz, H-J., Brändle, V., Eisele, O., & Lahusen, C. (2021). Solidarity in the media and public contention over refugees in Europe. Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367817169

Enríques, C.G. (2024, May 28). The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum: context, challenges and limitations. Real Instituto Elcano. https://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/en/analyses/the-eu-pact-on-migration-and-asylum-context-challenges-and-limitations/

Euronews Albania (2023). Scholz for Rama-Meloni plan: Cooperation with countries outside EU is necessary. https://euronews.al/en/scholz-for-rama-meloni-plan-cooperation-with-countries-outside-eu-is-necessary/

European Commission (2024). Pact on Migration and Asylum. A common EU system to manage migration. https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/migration-and-asylum/pact-migration-and-asylum_en

Eurostat (March 2024). Migration and migrant population statistics. Online publications. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Migration_and_migrant_population_statistics

Fine, S. (2019). All at sea: Europe’s crisis on solidarity for migration. Policy Briefing, European Council on Foreign Relations. https://ecfr.eu/publication/all_at_sea_europes_crisis_of_solidarity_on_migration/

Frontex (2024). Significant rise in irregular border crossings in 2023, highest since 2016. https://www.frontex.europa.eu/media-centre/news/news-release/significant-rise-in-irregular-border-crossings-in-2023-highest-since-2016-C0gGpm

Holyoke, G. (2023). Scholz for Rama-Meloni plan: Cooperation with countries outside EU is necessary. Euronews. https://euronews.al/en/scholz-for-rama-meloni-plan-cooperation-with-countries-outside-eu-is-necessary/

Hoxhaj, A. (2024). Albania-Italy: migration deals risk becoming a requirement for EU membership. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/albania-italy-migration-deals-risk-becoming-a-requirement-for-eu-membership-241992 DOI: https://doi.org/10.64628/AB.cdedsnrvp

Izzo, T. (2024). Meloni’s Migration Pact with Albania. Radio Bullets. https://www.radiobullets.com/rubriche/melonis-migration-pact-with-albania/

Java News (2023, November 11). Emigrantët, Scholz mbështet marrëveshjen Rama-Meloni: Sfidat nuk kapërcehen vetëm! Duhet mekanizëm solidariteti. https://javanews.al/emigrantet-scholz-mbeshtet-marreveshjen-rama-meloni-sfidat-nuk-kapercehen-vetem-duhet-mekanizem-solidariteti/

Kirby, J. (2025, January 7). Italy’s Plans to Process Migrants in Albania. New Lines Magazine. https://newlinesmag.com/reportage/italys-plans-to-process-migrants-in-albania/

Kosho, J. (2016). Media Influence on Public Opinion Attitudes Towards the Migration Crisis. International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research, 5(5), 86–91. https://www.ijstr.org/final-print/may2016/Media-Influence-On-Public-Opinion-Attitudes-Toward-The-Migration-Crisis.pdf

Kosho, J. (2024). Pakti i ri i Migracionit dhe Azilit, një zgjidhje për krizën e emigrantëve? EuroSpeak. https://www.eurospeak.al/news/dossier/pakti-migracionit-dhe-azilit/

La Republica (2023, November 07). Elogi, accordi e quell’invito per Ferragosto: Edi Rama e il sodalizio con Meloni per spingere l’Albania verso l’UE. https://www.repubblica.it/politica/2023/11/07/news/meloni_rama_accordi_albania_ue-419770519/

Lahusen, C. (2020). Citizens’Solidarity in Europe: Civic Engagement and Public Discourse in Times of Crises. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4337/9781789909500

Laitinen, A., & Pessi, A. B. (2014). Solidarity: Theory and practice—An introduction. In A. Laitinen & A. B. Pessi (Eds.), Solidarity: Theory and practice (pp. 1–29). Lexington Books. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5040/9781978732032.ch-1

Lenard, P.T., Straehle, Ch., & Ypi, L. (2010). Global Solidarity. Contemporary Political Theory, 9(1), 99–130. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/cpt.2009.9

Liedman, S-E. (2002, September 16). Solidarity: A conceptual history. Eurozine. https://www.eurozine.com/solidarity-a-conceptual-history/

Lippmann, W. (1922). Public Opinion. The Macmillan Company.

MacGregor, M. (2024, July 22). What is the Italy-Albania deal on migration? Info Migrants. https://www.infomigrants.net/fr/post/59313/what-is-the-italyalbania-deal-on-migration

May, L. (1996). The Socially Responsive Self. Social Theory and Professional Ethics. The Chicago University Press.

Millona, K. (2024, May 16). The Italy-Albania agreement and the new frontiers of border externalization. Melting Pot Europa. https://www.meltingpot.org/en/2024/05/the-italy-albania-agreement-and-the-new-frontiers-of-border-externalization/#easy-footnote-bottom-3-501341

Morucci, N. (November 2024). New stop to Italy-Albania protocol. Backtrack for seven more migrants, Rome judges call in EU court. EUnews. https://www.eunews.it/en/2024/11/11/new-stop-to-italy-albania-protocol-backtrack-for-seven-more-migrants-rome-judges-call-in-eu-court/

Mottola, G. (2024). Report (Hot)Spot Albanese. Rai 3 Report. https://www.raiplay.it/video/2024/04/HotSpot-Albanese---Report-21042024-447612f2-be7b-4de0-a91b-d2a971895442.html

PiazzaPulita (2023, November 17). Meloni-Rama pact, a report from Albania. La7.it. https://www.la7.it/piazzapulita/video/migranti-accordo-meloni-rama-il-reportage-dallalbania-17-11-2023-514132

Politiko (February 2024). Solidarity or advertising? Albanian immigrant for "France 24": They want to mask the incompetence of the Italian government. Politiko. https://politiko.al/english/e-tjera/solidaritet-apo-reklame-emigranti-shqiptar-per-france-24-duan-te-maskojn-i502067

Sajir, Z. & Aouragh, M. (2019). Solidarity, Social Media, and the "Refugee Crisis": Engagement Beyond Affect. International Journal of Communication, 13, 550 –577.

Stjernø, S. (2005). Solidarity in Europe. The history of an idea. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511490378

Tava, F. (2021). Justice, emotions, and solidarity. Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy, 26(1), 39–55. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13698230.2021.1893251

The Council of the European Union, Migration flows: Eastern, Central and Western routes, Yearly irregular arrivals (2015–2024). https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/migration-flows-to-europe/

Tondo, L., Henley, J., & Kassam, A. (October 2024). Blow to Meloni’s Albania deal as court orders asylum seekers’ return to Italy. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/18/blow-to-melonis-albania-deal-as-court-orders-asylum-seekers-return-to-italy

Volpe, A. (2023). Doing Justice to Solidarity: On the Moral Role of Mutual Support. Phenomenology and Mind, 24, 258–268. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17454/pam-2420

Wallaschek, S. (2019). The Discursive Construction of Solidarity: Analysing Public Claims in Europe’s Migration Crisis. Political Studies, 68(1), 74–92. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0032321719831585

Downloads

Published

2025-09-26

How to Cite

Kosho, J. (2025). Solidarity and the EU Migration Crisis; Rama-Meloni Pact Through the Media Lens. Zbornik Instituta Za kriminološka I sociološka istraživanja, 44(1–2), 73–88. https://doi.org/10.47152/ziksi2025124

Issue

Section

Articles