The premier met the Austrian chancellor Nehammer at Palazzo Chigi
“Covid, as well as the Russian aggression against Ukraine, have changed the geopolitical scenario. These issues cannot be overlooked when defining the new rules of the Stability Pact. The necessary investments cannot be ignored, especially in deficit-GDP ratio. Europe has set itself great objectives that we share, such as those of the energy and green transition. Compared to the Commission’s proposal, we think investments in these strategies cannot be ignored. It would be short-sighted to focus on transition” green and digital “and not taking into account these priorities of European governance”. This was stated by the prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, during the joint declarations at Palazzo Chigi with the federal chancellor of the Republic of Austria, Karl Nehammer.
MIGRANTS – Italy and Austria “both suffer from the great pressure of migratory flows”, on this “they collaborate and intend to collaborate even more. In June there is an important European Council in which” Brussels “is called to present a paradigm shift that we have asked together”, with a “management of flows that pays attention to all routes, including the maritime one. All external European borders must be defended, on this we collaborate and we will collaborate”, said Meloni, during the joint declarations with the chancellor Nehammer.
Italy “is particularly under check” on the immigration front, “we need to bring forward new methods, new paradigms, procedures similar to those of Denmark”, declared Nehammer, underlining that Rome and Vienna are linked “by the past and the present , concerning the alliance and collaboration in the fight against crime and illegal immigration, in combating people who exploit human beings”.
The Austrian chancellor’s reference is a declaration signed in recent months between Copenhagen and Rwanda on the possible transfer to the African country of asylum seekers arriving in Denmark, on the model of what the United Kingdom wants to do. An option that Italy does not envisage, as reiterated in recent days by the premier, hoping instead for European solutions.
UKRAINE – With Chancellor Nehammer “we also talked about Ukraine, about how to continue to support it at 360 degrees. Last week we hosted a good reconstruction conference, because we are betting on Ukraine’s victory and on its European future, of peace and freedom,” said Giorgia Meloni.
ITALY-AUSTRIA – As for Italy-Austria relations, “there are open questions, such as heavy traffic in Austria. We are working towards a shared solution, and I am happy with the openings expressed by the chancellor”, said the premier.
“We had a very extensive and fruitful meeting. With Austria, assiduous collaboration between states in the bilateral sphere is essential for us, our cooperation continues to grow at every level and, obviously, within the European Union. With the chancellor we have often found ourselves in the European Councils in which I have participated on the same lines and on the same vision. Obviously our history and our geography would prevent us from doing otherwise, but a feeling has also been created personally that I am very happy with”, he said the prime minister.
Meloni, assuring that he will go “to Austria as soon as possible”, recalled the “excellent level of relations, with trade exceeding 28 billion euros in 2022, which make us Austria’s second trading partner after Germany”.
Karl Nehammer for his part underlined that Italy and Austria “are facing great challenges that we must face together, such as the certainty of energy supply”. “We must guarantee the energy supply – insisted the head of the government in Vienna, in a reference to Italy’s idea of becoming an energy hub – We have no ports or outlets to the sea, so collaboration with Italy”.
Source-www.adnkronos.com