Meloni: "We can't tell citizens that the money is only for defense."
The Prime Minister: "We need to find a balance, which is why I asked the European Commission for greater flexibility on energy spending."
"We can't tell citizens that the money is only there for defense, and I say this as someone who strongly supports the need for Italy and Europe to do more to defend themselves."
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said this during a guest appearance on Mattino Cinque, on Canale 5, discussing negotiations with the EU Commission to obtain flexibility for measures to combat high energy prices.
"When you ask someone else to take care of your defense, you pay for it," Meloni emphasized, reiterating that "if we're unable to provide answers to citizens and businesses in the face of crises, we risk having nothing left to defend in this nation. And so we need to find a balance."
Faced with a global crisis like the one generated by Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Meloni added, "we cannot assume that individual governments are capable of responding with ordinary tools. And this is why Italy has asked the European Commission to extend the flexibility already granted for security and defense spending."
(Unioneonline)
