Dear energy and commitment to Defence, the Government’s priorities

The possible use of resources on defense of the community fund Safe. Possible measures to counteract the expensive energywith the cutting of excise taxes on fuel which expires next week, the 22 maggio. Lo truckers’ strike scheduled from 25 to 29 May.

These are the main themes that were addressed, as far as we know, during the meeting between the leaders of the majority which was held on the sidelines of Cdm yesterday afternoon at Palazzo Chigi. The Prime Minister at the table Giorgia Melonii vice Antonio Tajani e Matteo Salviniin addition to them, the ministers ofEconomy Giancarlo Giorgettiof the EU Affairs Tommaso Foti and of Defense Guido Crosetto. 

Government line on defense and energy

The prime minister’s line, as far as we know, would be the one that has already emerged in recent weeks: respect for the commitments made at international level – there is a commitment to bring the expenses for the defense al 5% of GDP by 2035 – but the international context has changed since it was taken. The priority of government the intervention on the remains expensive energyparticularly in favor of less wealthy classesto counter the rise in prices due to conflict in Iran which has now lasted for two and a half months. A line that would also be shared by the owner of Mef.

Dialogue with the European Commission

“The government is establishing a close dialogue with the European Commission” on the “possibility of taking advantage of greater budget flexibility” to ensure measures to “protect families and businesses with respect to the consequences of expensive energywhich I have repeatedly defined as the real priority,” he recalled on Wednesday Giorgetti al question time at the Camera. Then he specified: “Only at the outcome of the negotiations in question will it be possible to evaluate whether to activate the national escape clause to increase functional expenses to address the exceptional nature of the context, including those for defense“.

Crosetto’s words

When asked about it, Crosetto said: “I am neither pessimistic nor optimistic, I am awaiting the decisions because, by the end of May we should decide whether to access the Safe and sign contracts. It is a decision that is not up to you Defense ma al MefI wrote a letter to GiorgettiI postponed another one yesterday, to find out what the decision is on this matter. I await the response.”

Road haulage and strike

At the table we would also have talked about road haulage. Con Salvini who would not have hidden his concern for the hypothesis of confirmation of the strike announced for next week, at the center of many of his interventions in recent days.

Appointments and Consob node

However, the dossier would not have been addressed by namewith the renewal of the top management of Consob e Antitrust stalled for several months. On Wednesday the undersecretary to Mef Federico Freni took a step back from his candidacy in Consobwhere the veto persisted FIwho requires a technical profile for the role. “I appreciated the step back Brakesbut it was never a question of names. We need a technical figure”, he explained To Tajani.