This Thursday, December 29, Giorgia Meloni answered questions from journalists during the traditional end-of-year press conference. Iran, War in Ukraine or even immigration, the President of the Italian Council thus returned to several files.
Questions and answers. The President of the Italian Council, Giorgia Meloni, held a major end-of-year press conference on Thursday 29 December. The opportunity for the 45-year-old leader and new face of Italy to take stock of her policy by answering the various questions from journalists.
War in Ukraine
Asked about the role of the transalpine country in the war in ukraine, Giorgia Meloni confirmed “Italy’s desire to honor its commitments” regarding her country’s contribution to NATO for military expenditure. “How high would they be? It depends on the conditions around us, so we cannot give figures and deadlines now, ”said the President of the Council.
She also affirmed that “Italy is ready to guarantee a possible peace agreement, and I think that I will go to Kyiv before the end of February, before the anniversary of the invasion, February 24,” she said.
Giorgia Meloni also reaffirmed her desire to promote peace between Russians and Ukrainians, but that it “is not just about claiming it” believing that it is necessary for the two parties to demonstrate their desire to silence the guns. “Today there are no great signals from the Russia in particular”, however regretted Giorgia Meloni.
During her speech, the President of the Italian Council also considered that the Russian government should “realize the enormous mistake it is making and decide to stop this unacceptable aggression”. However, according to the 45-year-old Italian, the decisions of the Kremlin “must not fall on its people and its citizens”.
Africa and Immigration
On the subject of migrants, Giorgia Meloni said “having raised questions at European level, which until yesterday had not been done correctly”. With reference to authorization for the docking of theocean viking in Ravenna, Italy this Tuesday, December 27, Giorgia Meloni explained “having established a rule according to which NGOs must respect international law. Many of these migrants have no desire to leave their country: I believe that we need to have a slightly different approach in Africa compared to recent years”.
Accused of “act of war” after having implemented a maritime (or naval) blockade, Giorgia Meloni considered that it was necessary to look into a “European mission, in agreement with the North African authorities, to stop the departures , open the hotspots, assess who has the right to be refugees and finally distribute the refugees only in the 27 countries of the European Union and prevent the departure of irregular migrants”.
Regarding Africa, the President of the Italian Council has indicated that her country intends to develop its “energy activities” in the continent. “The energy issue offers an opportunity for Europe to be present in Africa again” and “it offers Italy to be the leading nation in this new European approach to Africa”, detailed Giorgia Meloni.
“African countries are interested in new energy supply technologies. I believe that with a few resources well spent, we can manage to produce the energy we need by diversifying sources of supply and making Italy the gateway to this energy,” she said. for follow-up.
Iran
At a time when demonstrations of support for the Iranian people have multiplied since the death on September 16 of Mahsa Amini, Giorgia Meloni considered that “what is happening in Iran is unacceptable for us and we do not intend to tolerate it longer.
“We have always had a dialogue approach but, if these repressions by the regime do not stop and there is no turning back, Italy’s attitude will have to change, a measure that will have to do the subject of international dialogue”, declared the President of the Italian Council.
Covid-19 in China
While China reversed its “zero Covid” policy, causing an explosion of cases in the country, concern rose a notch in several European countries and around the world. During her end-of-year press conference, Giorgia Meloni indicated that “the Italian government reacted immediately to the new situation by imposing tests for travelers arriving from China”. “The situation is now under control,” said Giorgia Meloni.
However, at a time when “the first cases sequenced are variants of Omicron already present in Italy”, the leader asked that a “decision on the tests to be carried out on arrivals from China be quickly taken also at European level stressing that these tests only concern direct flights from China, not those with a stopover.
“For my part, I believe that the solution is always control, tests and masks continue to be useful, the restriction of freedom that we have experienced in the past does not seem to me to be effective, as demonstrated by what happened in China. We must work on the responsibility of citizens rather than on coercion,” concluded the President of the Italian Council.