National interest takes centre stage. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni emphasized the need for unity in her Parliament address ahead of the European Council meeting.
- She underscored that Italy’s interests are front and center, particularly in relation to Raffaele Fitto’s role as Executive Vice President of the European Commission, with a focus on cohesion policy—a portfolio managing €378 billion, of which €43 billion is allocated to Italy.
- She called on the Democratic Party to secure support from the Socialists & Democrats, underscoring the importance of maintaining the executive vice presidency for Italy.
- Meloni framed this responsibility as crucial to Italy’s national interest, particularly for the southern regions, and asserted that Fitto’s nomination reflects Italy’s growing importance in the EU, dismissing the notion of the country’s isolation.
Ukraine support remains firm. At the upcoming European Council, Meloni will reaffirm Italy’s steadfast support for Ukraine.
- She highlighted the importance of military aid, including air defence systems, and referenced her recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Rome.
- According to Meloni, Italy’s commitment goes beyond military assistance, as it is aligned with broader European interests in maintaining international order.
Middle East tensions. Meloni raised concerns about a recent Israeli strike on Italian forces in Lebanon under the UNIFIL mission, calling it unacceptable.
- She demanded accountability from Israel, while acknowledging Hezbollah’s violations of UN resolutions.
- While reaffirming Israel’s right to self-defence, she stressed that such actions must comply with international humanitarian law, urging greater protection for Italian troops stationed in the region.
- The Prime Minister’s Office announced that on Friday, Meloni will visit Jordan and Lebanon to meet with political leaders, underscoring Italy’s commitment to stability in the region and its leadership role within UNIFIL.
Migration: Italy as a model. Meloni took pride in her government’s crackdown on illegal migration, citing a 60% reduction in arrivals compared to 2023.
- She attributed this success to Italy’s policies, supported by European agreements with Tunisia and Egypt, andhighlighted the Italy-Albania protocol as a blueprint for processing asylum claims outside the EU.
- She also attacked NGOs like Sea Watch, accusing them of undermining state authorities in their anti-smuggling efforts.
Revisiting the Green Deal. Meloni reiterated her criticism of the European Green Deal, calling its approach to decarbonization detrimental to industrial sectors.
- She advocated for a more balanced strategy that supports environmental goals without sacrificing economic stability, labelling the current framework as an “ideological” pursuit that threatens European jobs.
