Two files with body, one hotter than the other. On the one hand, the issue of migrants, with Italy’s request to its EU partners to redistribute the burdens weighing on the Mediterranean countries. On the other, the state aid chapter, with the response that Europe will have to give to the American Inflation Reduction Act: the US plan that, in fact, makes it more convenient to buy in the United States than in the Old Continent. These are the two central themes of Giorgia Meloni’s trip to Stockholm and Berlin.
Two essential stages in less than 24 hours for the premiere. He flew to the Swedish capital because Sweden currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU. Then, in the afternoon, in Germany, to meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and try to define a common strategy for the next European Council.
“On migration, Italy has drawn attention to the Mediterranean route and the defense of external borders – Meloni’s words in Stockholm, after the meeting with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson – The starting documents are important steps and we are having 360 degree conversations to arrive. to possible syntheses that can take into account Italian interests”. “The fundamental issue – adds Meloni – is still cooperation: offering alternatives to those who leave, to those who flee. This is a job that Italy is doing, if it were to do it a more significant way Europe would make the difference».
So, the defense of the external borders: “I think it is legitimate for Italy when others ask for the defense of the borders from the secondary movements to raise the question that there are primaries before secondary ones. This – summarizes Meloni – is the question that underlies the documents on the defense of the external dimension, I think it is the way to deal with this situation».
The bilateral with Scholz
A few hours later, Meloni is in Berlin. And among the numerous topics of the bilateral agreement with Chancellor Scholz, the core of support for European companies stands out, in response to the American Inflation Reduction Act. Meloni’s mission is to scratch the wall in Germany, by creating specific financial instruments to make companies from the Old Continent more competitive. A goal that Berlin partially shares. Reason why the Italian government is determined to exploit all the margins of negotiation, to arrive at the European Council on February 9 and 10 with a forceful proposal to loosen restrictions on state aid. Without penalizing those who, like Italy, have less fiscal room to maneuver independently.
Search for shores
A search for sides that, depending on what happens, will continue in a possible meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysée. Diplomacies are working, the climate more relaxed after the confrontations of the first weeks of government over the management of NGOs. After all, the ministers are already talking to each other: after Guido Crosetto, Raffaele Fitto also met with his counterpart Laurence Boone. In short, the ground is being prepared for the game in Brussels.
Source : IL Messaggero
