Government, week of fire for Meloni between Russia and Mes

The Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, will also make a passage on the situation in Russia in the communications to the Chambers on Wednesday, before the European Council on June 29 and 30. But there are several games open to the Government in the face of the ‘mission’ in Brussels next week, from the Santanchè case to the controversy of the month. The Russian dossier was on the Prime Minister’s table during this weekend of passion. A summit was immediately organized with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense, Antonio Tajani and Guido Crosetto, and the Undersecretaries of the Prime Minister, Alfredo Mantovano and Giovambattista Fazzolari. The two departments involved and intelligence are analyzing the scenario in contact with the NATO and EU allies. Tajani will fly to Luxembourg for the EU Foreign Affairs Council, which will also have the Moscow crisis on the table after the ‘revolt’ of the Wagner paramilitary group led by Prigozhin. The head of Farnesina, for his part, reiterated that “we do not intend to interfere in the internal affairs of the Russian Federation”, and “none” of our 5,300 compatriots living in the country “has been in danger”. And he analyzes the latest events like this: “Putin is weaker. I hope this will help to change the situation, perhaps it can lead to a withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and then start peace negotiations.” Again, after the controversy over Meloni’s lack of involvement in the talks held on Saturday by US President Joe Biden, Tajani qualifies: “The United States has great consideration for the Italian government. I remember Blinken’s words of great appreciation , also against the Prime Minister”.

But the open questions ahead of next week’s EU summit are different. The spirits continue to be heated by the position of the Minister of Tourism, Daniela Santanchè, after the Report service on her companies Visibilia and Ki Group. The important exponent of the Brothers of Italy, who is not being investigated, is preparing to inform the Chamber. After the opening of Meloni also in this sense, only date and time remain to be decided. For their part, the M5S group leaders of the House and Senate, Francesco Silvestri and Stefano Patuanelli, wrote to the presidents of the two branches of Parliament, Lorenzo Fontana and Ignazio La Russa, to request “the immediate convening of a conference of group leaders to order urgent information from Minister Santanché about the serious facts that emerged from the journalistic investigation of Informe”. If some members of the executive, including Tajani himself, come together, the debate is open. For his part, Angelo Bonelli (Avs) responds stung: “Tajani defends Daniela Santanchè: ‘She has already clarified it for us,’ she says. What would Santanché have clarified? Absolutely nothing. We are waiting for you in the Chamber.”

Another node on the table is that of the Month. The proposal for ratification of the Pd brought to the Montecitorio Foreign Affairs commission last week passed, but the center-right was absent. There is no shortage of doubts among the majority parties. “I think it is difficult to imagine that the provision can reach the Chamber by June 30, I think it will be postponed,” says the leader of the group in the Chamber of the League, Riccardo Molinari. The response of the dem Piero De Luca, leader of the Pd group at the EU Policy Commission in Montecitorio, is ready: “My colleague Molinari, always attentive, this time got distracted and skipped some passage. We allow ourselves to remember that the procedure in the commission has not just started but has just been defined with the approval of the basic text with the first signature of the Democratic Party. The bill is scheduled for June 30 in the assembly and it is the right of the opposition to obtain its examination … it is time for the government and the majority to take their own responsibilities, instead of continuing to play three cards.” Therefore, the verdict of the conference of group leaders is expected.