It officially opens the European nominations match in Brussels. The prime minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in the Belgian capital for the start of the work of the European Council. The Prime Minister made no statements when she entered the ‘Lanterna’ at the Europa Building in Brussels. On the summit table, following the informal meeting of the leaders on 17 June, there are the nominations for the next institutional cycle of the EU. The Council’s task is, in fact, to elect the President of the European Council, appoint the President of the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs (these last two appointments are subject to a vote by Parliament).
In a tough speech, delivered yesterday in the House and SenateMeloni rejected “in method and substance” the agreement created by the EPP, socialist and liberal negotiators on the so-called “top jobs” which provides for the reconfirmation of Ursula von der Leyen at the top of the European Commission and the appointments of the Portuguese Antonio Costa and the Estonian Kaja Kallas as President of the European Council and as High Representative of the EU respectively.
The Italian Prime Minister denounced a “conventio ad excludendum” to the detriment of Italy, calling for respect by European ruling groups for the vote expressed by citizens in the elections of 8 and 9 June. It is not yet clear how Meloni will behave at the leaders’ table, at present it is very difficult for the Prime Minister to get a yes to the appointments contained in the ‘package’, put together by the EPP, S&D and Renew. Much will depend on the negotiations of these two days. Italy asks for a vice-presidency and a commissioner with heavy responsibilities: the name of the Minister for European Affairs Raffaele Fitto has been mentioned for some time, and he could find a place in Brussels as super commissioner for Cohesion and the Recovery Plan.
The agenda of the European Council is not just about top jobs. The leaders of the 27 EU states will also discuss other topics such as the 2024-2029 strategic agenda, Ukraine, the Middle East, security, defense, competitiveness and migrants. Regarding the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the 27 Heads of State and Government should also address the progress made in using Russia’s frozen assets to support Ukraine and its reconstruction, as well as take stock of the progress of Kiev towards joining the EU, in view of the first accession conference on 25 June 2024. On the security front, however, options for increasing funding for the European defense industry will be examined.
Tusk: “There is no decision without Giorgia Meloni”
“No one respects Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Italy more than I do,” said Prime Minister Donald Tusk. “It’s a misunderstanding: sometimes you need specific political platforms to facilitate the process, the common position of the three major groups is to facilitate the process. The decision is up to the European Council. There is no Europe without Italy, there is no decision without Giorgia Meloni. For me it’s obvious“.
Tajani: “Still no decision on nomination vote”
“There is no decision” regarding a possible vote by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on EU top positions. “Until the Council begins, we cannot say what Italy will do” said the Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, arriving at the EPP pre-summit in Brussels. “We have to see. My position is favourable, but without any openness to the Greens. Instead we need to look and open a dialogue with the Conservatives” said Tajani to those who asked him if Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni could vote against the names proposed by the EU majority for the top positions in the 2024-26 legislature. “I can say what we at Forza Italia do: I am certainly very perplexed about the duration of five years for the presidency of the European Council, because the EPP won the elections. Neither the Socialists nor the Liberals won them”.
“I believe” that Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, one of the EPP negotiators for top EU positions, “spoke” with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. “Many of those who spoke today spoke” with the Prime Minister. “There was rightly a reaction when a proposal was presented without talking to the countries.” Was it a mistake? “In my opinion, yes“, he concludes.
Weber: “It is essential to take Italy’s interests into account”
Italy “is a G7 country and one of the main European countries” underlines the president and group leader of the EPP in the European Parliament Manfred Weber on the sidelines of the EPP pre-summit in Brussels. “I greatly appreciate the contribution of the Italian government, under the leadership of Antonio Tajani and Giorgia Meloni. This is why the crucial process to also take Italian interests into account is fundamental for the European Union”.
“For today it is important to give stability to Europe – continues Weber – the three major European parties, Popular, Socialists and Liberals, have the special responsibility of ensure stability for Europe. I hope we can show this to the voters. Then we will also need a majority in Parliament for Ursula von der Leyen “.” We support von der Leyen – she adds -, but I make it clear that all the agreements we make are based on content. People expect us to produce results on competitiveness, on the economy. And we must solve the migration problem. Anyone who wants the EPP’s support must guarantee that it will solve the migration problem by stopping illegal immigration to Europe,” she concludes.
