Calls all parties to unity on Fitto’s nomination in the new European Commission, condemns them in no uncertain terms “unacceptable” attacks by the Israeli army against Unifil bases and claims the goodness of the government’s policies on‘immigration bringing to the fore the agreement (in the sights of the opposition) between Rome and Tirana: in an increasingly worrying Middle Eastern scenario for Giorgia Meloni it is not time to divide on Italy’s role in Europe and on foreign policy.
The Prime Minister – in the Senate for communications in view of European Council of 17 and 18 October – announces that he will go to mission in Lebanon without hiding his “concern” about the ongoing escalation. On the day in which Israel – with Defense Minister Gallant – promises “a precise and deadly response” from Tel Aviv to Iran’s missile attack two weeks ago, the Italian prime minister underlines Italy’s commitment to the ceasefire fire. And at the same time – as he told Netanyahu himself, in a recent telephone conversation – he demands that “the safety of our soldiers be guaranteed, both those engaged in the UN Unifil mission and those engaged in the bilateral Mibil mission, who together to the rest of the international community have contributed to stability along the Israeli-Lebanese border for years.”
“The positions of the Italian military contingent part of the United Nations Unifil mission were hit by the Israeli army. Even if there were no victims or significant damage – says Meloni – I think it cannot be considered acceptable”. In short, the message is clear: “we defend Israel’s right to live in peace and security – underlines the prime minister – but we reiterate the need for this to happen in compliance with international humanitarian law”.
In the replies to his communications, Meloni also puts an end to the debate on the supply of arms to Israel from Italy. “After the start of Israeli operations in Gaza – he explains – the government immediately suspended the granting of any new export license for armament materials to Israel pursuant to law 185 of 1990. Therefore all contracts signed after 7 October will not have been applied. The export licenses to Israel that had been authorized before 7 October were all analyzed on a case-by-case basis by the competent authority at the Farnesina, applying Italian, European and international legislation”.
A block, specifies the Prime Minister, which is much more restrictive than France, Germany and the United Kingdom, partners who “continue to operate also for new licenses, an evaluation on a case-by-case basis”. The next European Council is the first after the designation of the new Commission. And the EU executive will have to pass the scrutiny of the Strasbourg Parliament. A delicate passage, and it is the Prime Minister herself who asks for bipartisan support in politics for the green light for Raffaele Fitto.
“I hope – he underlines – that all Italian political forces will take an active part in their European political families so that this result, so important for our nation, can be achieved quickly and without stumbles, to allow the Commission, in such a moment delicate, to be fully functional from December 1st”.
In fact, the Prime Minister speaks of Fitto’s appointment as “a notable improvement for our nation compared to the composition of the outgoing commission, given that it had 4 executive vice-presidents and 7 overall vice-presidents but none of these were Italian”. And he also points this out to say that “differently from what many predicted, and what perhaps was hoped for by some, this indication is the confirmation of a rediscovered centrality of Italy in the European context”.
A reality, in short, “very distant from the continuous mantra of an alleged Italian international isolation”. In the replies, Meloni’s invitation is addressed directly to Schlein’s party. “I already knew that the PD group is in favor of the von der Leyen commission and I believe it is also in favor of Italy being granted an important delegation like that of Fitto and the executive vice-presidency” but “in recent weeks the PSE group has tried to have Fitto’s hearing moved to last among the vice-presidents, openly saying that the group of European socialists would not accept Italy being recognized as an executive vice-presidency”.
Thus, addressing the Democratic senators present in the Chamber, Meloni urges: “I believe that you must make your group hear you”. Another theme at the center of the next EU Council will be immigration policies. “Europe’s approach to migration today is very different from that of the past, thanks above all to the Italian impulse, but – observes the Prime Minister – it is essential to work to give substance to the new priorities. I am proud that Italy has become from this point of view, a model to follow”.
And in this context – not without attracting protests from the opposition in the Chamber of Palazzo Madama – Meloni considers the agreement between Rome and Tirana “a new, courageous, unprecedented path, but which perfectly reflects the European spirit and which has all the cards in order to be used also with other non-EU nations”. The prime minister’s position towards the non-governmental organization is tough Sea Watch ‘guilty’ of having defined “the coast guards as ‘the real human traffickers’, wanting to delegitimize – Meloni complains – all those of the North African states, and perhaps also the Italian one, in order to give the green light to the smugglers that this NGO describes instead as innocents, who would have found themselves by chance driving boats full of illegal immigrants. These are unworthy statements, which throw a veil on the role played by some NGOs and on the responsibilities of those who finance them”.
The debate in the Senate is also marked by a lively back-and-forth between Meloni and the parliamentarians of the 5 Star Movement on Superbonus and on the foreign agenda. One of the few moments in which the prime minister raises her voice to drown out the muttering (off microphone) of the M5s senators. “The lightness – he says – with which the 5 Star Movement faces international crises is equal only to the lightness with which they faced the state budget when they were in government. It takes an iron mask to accuse the government of throwing away money out the window: even if it wanted to, this government couldn’t do it because they’ve already thrown it away, leaving us with 200 billion euros of debt to pay that could have been allocated to healthcare, pensions, work.” Then he quips: “the day I have an exponent of the 5 Star Movement explain to me what I said, I resign.”