Meloni bets on resuming gas extraction in Italy to "liberate" the country from energy dependence

MADRID, 26 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Italian prime minister has bet in a speech this Wednesday in the Senate, prior to the vote of confidence of her Executive, to resume the extraction of Italian gas to "liberate" the country from an "unacceptable" energy dependence.

"Measures are needed in the medium term to free Italy from an unacceptable energy dependency. I am thinking of the extraction of natural gas. I believe that national resources must be used as Europe requests," he explained.

Meloni pointed out that "there is a small opportunity" for the south of the country, emphasizing that this area "is the energy center of Europe", while explaining that it is necessary to curb speculation. "We will continue to pressure Europe to give common responses," she said, according to the AndKronos news agency.

The leader of the Brothers of Italy has focused on the energy emergency, as well as the crisis in the supply chain derived from the pandemic. "We will never be ready to go from dependence on Russian gas to dependence on Chinese raw materials," she has said.

Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Italian Prime Minister has highlighted that from the Brothers of Italy "they have always recognized the value of science", although they have not shared some of the decisions that were made for not having "scientific evidence", according to has picked up the newspaper 'La Reppublica'.

"It was a mistake to prevent unvaccinated 12-year-olds from playing sports when the scientific community was not unanimous. Sports would have been good for them," Meloni exemplified before the measures of the previous Italian Executive.

Meloni has also focused on the Italian economy, indicating that it is necessary to start "with the cut of the fiscal wedge". "Of course it has a significant cost and it is a medium-term commitment," he added.

"The spending schedule of the national plan foresaw that by December 31 of this year we would have spent 42,000 million. In the Economy and Finance Document (DEF) the figure was updated to 33,700 million (and) it foresees 21,000 million for 2022, less than half. Did everything go well? Maybe not. That's why we assume the responsibility of speeding up the implementation of the plan," he promised.

Likewise, the Italian prime minister has pointed out that "the fight against bad work is a priority", since "the minimum wage risks being a red herring and not a solution". "We have to start by reducing the tax wedge," she has reiterated.

The prime minister has been critical of the situation in Ukraine and has assured that "peace cannot be achieved with rainbow flags" in the squares, in clear reference to the demonstrations that have been held against the war.

"Unless you want to tell me that peace is obtained through surrender, peace is obtained by continuing to support Ukraine, allowing it to defend itself," he specified during his speech, adding that "a balance" is necessary in the negotiations to achieve peace.

In this regard, given the comments made by the leader of the Five Star Movement, Giuseppe Conte, who reproached Defense Minister Guido Crosetto in the House of Representatives debate for having "conflicts of interest" on arms sales, Meloni has answered: "Why, when you were Prime Minister, did you not sell the Italian defense companies that produce weapons?"

The new government of Giorgia Meloni, of the Brothers of Italy, approved the vote of confidence of the Italian Chamber of Deputies the day before with 235 votes in favor and 154 votes against. Now, the Senate will have to give the 'green light' to the new Executive.