Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Saturday that her country is aligned with the European Union, whose task – as she stressed – should be to defend the unity of the West. The head of the Italian government warned that without an alliance with the United States and without its own defense, the Union could become a “demilitarized community of hippies.”
In a speech at the congress of the opposition centre-left party Action (Azione), the prime minister dismissed as untrue opinions that she was in favour of siding with US President Donald Trump and “against Europe”.
“I am always on Italy's side, and Italy is in the European Union, and its role should be to defend the unity of the West,” Meloni said.
“My duty,” she added, “is to do what I can to defend this unity or, if necessary, to rebuild it.”
The Prime Minister admitted: “Of course there are topics that divide, but that is precisely why I believe that we cannot act impulsively, but with balance.”
“I hear some political leaders in Italy calling for a break with the United States,” Meloni said, referring to the voices of some center-left politicians.
She also noted: “There are other leaders who support the line that Europe should not spend money on its security. I don't understand this: you propose to break off all alliances with the US, but also ask them to take care of our security anyway?”
Or, she asked, “is it about Europe becoming a huge demilitarized hippie community that places its hopes in the good faith of other foreign powers?”
The EU's plan to rearm Europe has divided the Italian political class. The Meloni-Brothers of Italy and the coalition Forza Italia are in favor of it. The other coalition partner, the League of Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, is against it.
The center-left opposition is also divided. The Five Star Movement is strongly opposed to this plan.
From Rome Sylwia Wysocka(PAP)
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