“The new Parliament” which will take office in mid-July is “the result of the indications expressed at the polls, which represented a very important stage in the history of Europe from which to draw important indications” also given by “all the political forces: in recent months everyone supported the need for a change in EU policies, no one said that it would be enough to maintain the status quo. Everyone agreed on one point: Europe must take a different direction compared to the positioning taken so far a clear message and we don’t want it to fall on deaf ears.”
Thus the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to the Chamber in communications in view of the European Council. “Citizens’ disaffection towards the EU has also materialized in abstention” which “cannot leave indifferent” the ruling class which in the EU seems “tempted to hide the dust under the carpet by continuing with disappointing logic”.
“If there is an indisputable fact that comes from the polls it is the rejection of the policies carried out by the political forces in government in many of the great European nations, which are also in many cases the forces that have shaped the European policies of recent years”. The Prime Minister cited the percentages obtained in individual EU countries by the governing parties: “16% in France, 32% in Germany, 34% in Spain”. “Only in Italy – you added – 53% of those elected represent the government forces”.
“I think that” the new presidency of the Commission “should think about a specific delegation to de-bureaucratization to give a signal” of change. “If there is an indisputable fact that comes from the polls it is the rejection of the policies carried out by the political forces in government in many of the great European nations, which are also in many cases the forces that have shaped the European policies of recent years”. The Prime Minister cited the percentages obtained in individual EU countries by the governing parties: “16% in France, 32% in Germany, 34% in Spain”. “Only in Italy – he added – are 53% of those elected an expression of the government forces”. We must “also apply in Europe the principle that we apply in Italy: not disturbing those who want to do something, it means being more attractive than others, clearing the forest bureaucratic and administrative which ends up being an obstacle course that penalizes businesses”.
Regarding the migration flows, the prime minister spoke of the objectives of “defending external borders” and of combating the “business of human traffickers” who are “slavers of the third millennium”. I believe that the EU, cradle of Western civilisation, can no longer tolerate that a crime like slavery be tolerated in other forms.” In her opinion, the “memorandums with Egypt and Tunisia” must be replicated and “the causes that push a person” to leave her homeland must be removed, it is necessary to give substance to the “right not to have to migrate”.
“In Italy and the EU – continues Meloni – you can only enter legally. Entries are handled by the institutions and not by smugglers. We will not allow the mafias to manage entries into Italy, as they have been doing for some time. It amazes me that no one before us if he noticed.” In the management of the migrant dossier, previously there was only talk of “redistribution”, while “now the paradigm has changed but it is essential that this approach is consolidated and becomes structural: the same letter that the President of the Commission von der Leyen addressed yesterday to the Heads of State and Government goes in this direction, establishing that this approach must remain at the center of the priorities also of the next institutional cycle”.
We need to “equip ourselves with a” European “security and defense policy” and we need a “common industrial policy in the field of defense” even in the face of ongoing wars. “We must remember that freedom and security have a cost”, “we must be able to exercise deterrence” and “build a solid European pillar of NATO alongside the US one. Italy will be the interpreter” of this vision “at the NATO summit” . “Spend on defence – says Meloni again – it means investing in autonomy and the ability to defend one’s national interests. To do this it is necessary to address the issue of the resources necessary to make the much vaunted leap in quality. We hope that the EIB can increase defense financing. It is necessary to propose a debate to open up European bonds for issues of this kind.”
“Defending Ukraine is in Europe’s interests. If Ukraine had been forced to surrender there would have been no conditions for negotiation. Peace never means surrender”. “All our efforts – he continues – are concentrated on allowing Ukraine to look to a peaceful future. It must be clear who will pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine.”
“The peace process in the Middle East can only be based on the ‘two peoples and two states’ solution. Italy supports the US mediation proposal, supported by Egypt and Qatar. On this side Europe can and must play a more active role“.
An indication coming from the vote for the European elections is “revisit the more ideological norms of the green deal and ensuring technological neutrality: we want to defend nature with man inside, often in recent years the opposite has been done, exploiting all available technologies”. In communications in view of the European Council, Meloni underlines that it is the government’s intention to aim to also to the “green homes directive”.
Against the exploitation of agricultural labourers the government has put in place “severer penalties and much more stringent controls” and “I take this opportunity to announce that we intend to bring forward INPS and INAIL hiring for the inspection action” as well as “linking the databases” for the controls. Meloni then recalled the death of Satnam Singh, a moment during which all the deputies present in the Chamber stood up and applauded. The prime minister spoke of a “death horrible and inhumane” with a “lousy attitude from his employer. This is the worst Italy that profits from desperation.”
“It doesn’t surprise me – he said again – that a certain approach emerged before, during and after the electoral campaign” but “no authentic democrat who believes in popular sovereignty can in his heart consider it acceptable that in Europe attempts were made to negotiate on top positions even before we went to the polls.” “Some have argued that we shouldn’t talk to some political forces. The EU institutions were designed in a neutral logic. The top positions were entrusted taking into account the major groups, regardless of the logic of the majority and opposition. Today we choose to open a new scenario and the logic of consensus it is overtaken by that of the fireplaces, where one party decides for all. A ‘conventio ad excludendum’ which I have contested on behalf of the Italian government and do not intend to share. The mistake that is about to be made with the imposition of this logic is one fragile majority and probably destined to have difficulties during the legislature is an important mistake not for the undersigned for the center-right or for Italy but for a Europe that does not seem to understand the challenge it faces or understands it but in any case prefers to give priority to other things”. Meloni underlines that “if we want to do a good service to Europe and its credibility we must show that we have understood the mistakes of the past and have maximum consideration for the indications of citizens” who ask for “aMore concrete and less ideological Europe“.
There are many empty benches in the Chamber, including those of Fi and Lega, as well as those of the opposition. The government seats are full. Meloni has the two deputy prime ministers Tajani and Salvini close to him. The secretary of the Democratic Party Elly Schlein is sitting next to the group leader Chiara Braga, while the M5s leader Giuseppe Conte is missing.
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