Anti-migrant interior minister Matteo Salvini on Tuesday hailed proposals by nominee European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to counter human trafficking and to alter asylum rules he said had made Italy "Europe's reception centre".
"She made some interesting remarks on the fight against illegal immigration and on changing rules under which Italy has been Europe's reception centre," Salvini told reporters during a visit to Genoa.
"We'll see if she confirms that wish to fight the human traffickers," he added.
In a wide-ranging speech to members of the European Parliament ahead of a confirmation vote in Strasbourg later on Tuesday, von der Leyen vowed to boost the EU border and coastguard agency Frontex to 10,000 by 2024.
But the centre-right German politician and close ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel also said that the EU needed "to preserve the right to asylum through humanitarian corridors",
Observers say the MEPs' confirmation vote could be close, as some left-wingers and Greens will oppose von der Leyen (who is Germany's outgoing defence minister).
If a majority of the 747 member European Parliament does vote for her, von der Leyen will replace Jean-Claude Juncker on 1 November.
