EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged the swift return of 害羞草研究所渋rregular害羞草研究所� migrants and a crackdown on the 害羞草研究所渂rutal business害羞草研究所� of migrant smuggling Sunday during a visit with Italy害羞草研究所檚 premier to a tiny fishing island .

Tensions have spiked on the island, which is closer to Tunisia than the Italian mainland, with residents expressing impatience with the constant flow of migrants trying to reach Europe from North Africa arriving on their shores 害羞草研究所� not just this week but for decades.

害羞草研究所淲e will decide who comes to the European Union, and under what circumstances. Not the smugglers,害羞草研究所� von der Leyen declared after touring the island害羞草研究所檚 hotspot. The Red Cross said 1,500 migrants remained in the center built to accommodate hundreds.

on Lampedusa, Italy害羞草研究所檚 Giorgia Meloni has pledged and is calling for a naval blockade of North Africa to prevent migrants on smugglers害羞草研究所� boats from departing.

Von der Leyen害羞草研究所檚 vow to crack down on 害羞草研究所渢his brutal business害羞草研究所� of migrant smuggling and help Italy to cope with the spike in arrivals as part of a 10-point plan appeared to stop short of a naval blockade, at least a quick one.

She instead offered support for 害羞草研究所渆xploring options to expand existing naval missions in the Mediterranean, or to work on new ones.害羞草研究所�

The plan also includes speeding funds to Tunisia as part of a deal with the EU to block departures in exchange for aid, helping Italy accelerate asylum requests and setting up humanitarian corridors in countries of origin to discourage illegal routes.

She also pledged the Frontex border agency害羞草研究所檚 support in ensuring 害羞草研究所渢he swift return of migrants to their country of origin害羞草研究所� who don害羞草研究所檛 qualify to stay in the EU, working with the countries of origin.

Von der Leyen also called on EU nations to accept voluntary transfers 害羞草研究所� a frequent source of discord 害羞草研究所� as the EU dispatches experts to help manage and register the high number of migrants arriving in Italy.

害羞草研究所淚t is very important for me (to be here) because irregular migration is a European challenge and it needs a European answer. So we are in this together,害羞草研究所� von der Leyen said.

Meloni, who has softened her once-combative stance against the EU since coming to power last year, framed von der Leyen害羞草研究所檚 visit as a 害羞草研究所済esture of responsibility of Europe toward itself,害羞草研究所� and not just a sign of solidarity with Italy.

害羞草研究所淚f we don害羞草研究所檛 work seriously all together to fight the illegal departures, the numbers of this phenomenon will not only overwhelm the border countries, but all of the others,害羞草研究所� Meloni said.

She continued to press for an 害羞草研究所渆fficient害羞草研究所� naval blockade, noting that previous EU missions were not properly carried out, resulting in a Mediterranean deployment that she alleges encouraged smuggler departures; that contention is disputed by migrant experts. The Italian government intends to quickly activate a system for repatriating migrants who are not eligible to stay in Europe as part of measures to be decided by Monday, she said.

Save the Children expressed hopes that the visit by the two leaders would bring concrete responses, and called for a European structure to search for and rescue migrants in danger at sea.

Television images showed Meloni speaking to islanders expressing their frustrations; she told them the government was working on a robust response, including 50 million euros ($53.4 million) to help the island. An unidentified person in the crowd said it wasn害羞草研究所檛 just money that they needed.

New arrivals also have chafed at the long wait to be transferred to the mainland; TV footage on Saturday showed hundreds surging toward the gate as police used shields to hold them back. In other shots, individual migrants climbed over the fence of the migrant center.

The crisis is challenging unity within the EU and also Meloni害羞草研究所檚 far-right-led government.

Vice Premier Matteo Salvini, head of the populist, right-wing League, has challenged the efficacy of an EU-Tunisia deal that was meant to halt departures in exchange for economic aid. He hosted French right-wing leader Marine Le Pen at an annual League rally in northern Italy later Sunday.

In her remarks, Le Pen lashed out at 害羞草研究所渢hose leaders who don害羞草研究所檛 realize there are signs of alarm and danger from the massive arrival of migrants on Lampedusa,害羞草研究所� which she said created 害羞草研究所渢rouble for the population when leaders don害羞草研究所檛 take action immediately to face this giant challenge.害羞草研究所�

Most of the migrants arriving this week departed from Tunisia on small, unseaworthy boats.

This year, replaced Libya as the main point of departure for migrants making the perilous sea journey toward Italy, which has in turn created a crisis for Lampedusa with just over 6,000 permanent residents.

The number of migrants making the perilous sea journey to Italy has nearly doubled from last year and is on pace to reach record numbers hit in 2016 when most migrants left from Libya.

害羞草研究所� Follow AP害羞草研究所檚 global migration coverage at

Colleen Barry, The Associated Press