There will be no government crisis, as long as Prime Minister Mario Draghi takes into account the no of M5s on the increase in military spending . The pentastellato president Giuseppe Conte, interviewed by Lucia Annunziata at half an hour more, made it clear that if Palazzo Chigi did not give in to the hypothesis of immediately bringing the expenditure for armaments to 2% of GDP, it would be a stretch which would produce “fibrillations” for the executive’s estate.
“The M5s – explained Conte – is absolutely not thinking at this moment of a government crisis, however, we are the relative majority force and if it is a question of discussing a new direction we will assert our presence. The government cannot force and would take responsibility for putting it in fibrillation. I hope in a perspective of common sense “.
The former premier made it known that he wanted to confront Draghi in the coming days , also warning the premier that the ministers of the Movement, in the CDM, if necessary, “will represent these positions. If the government does not listen to us – underlined Conte – it puts us in front of the fait accompli, and the government that forces and does not listen to the relative majority force “.
Then the stance: “Faced with the instability of this conflict – the ex-premier insisted – one cannot respond with an emotional reaction and some pushes to indiscriminate rearmament. We cannot distract resources from the pillars of the security of Italian citizens , in this moment of great economic and social difficulty, and invest extraordinary funds in rearmament. We are absolutely against “.
To those who point out to him that the increase in military spending to 2% of GDP and a commitment signed by our country with the Atlantic Alliance, Conte replies that” I have never doubted that the agreements made with NATO they are to be respected but the timing hypothesized eight years ago cannot be an indisputable dogma “.
“Above all – he added – our allies know the suffering of Italy after two years of pandemic , the greatest difficulties compared to other countries. On this point, we can have a curve that does not lead us to distract from necessary expenses for citizens ”.
As for the war in Ukraine, for Conte Italy has the opportunity to “play an important role within the EU , and it is good that Prime Minister Draghi can hear Putin in the coming days”.
“We need to maintain maximum concentration for de-escalation . All interventions are oriented towards the political solution, Italy must push for this ”, added Conte.
Speaking of the repercussions of the international situation on the equilibrium of Italian politics and within the parties themselves, Conte excluded that in Italy there is a pro-Putin organized current: “ Salvini also made a turning point in his statements . It absolutely does not seem to me that there is a risk of a pro-Putinian attitude within the political forces that support the government ”.
Dispelling all doubts about the allegations of closeness between the Movement and Russia, Conte specified: “I asked to be heard at Copasir and they immediately summoned me on aid and the Russian mission in Italy in March 2020, during the acute phase of the pandemic. Moscow offered us help and, in a very organized way, sent convoys that were always and wisely accompanied wherever we decided to operate. But we have not refused aid from any nation ”.
“Copasir – added Conte – clarified that there is no element of opacity or espionage . Nothing came out. It was also reiterated during my Copasir audition ”.
In general, Conte warns, “it is a false historian to reread yesterday’s events with the tools of today . Then of course we reject the current threats arriving from Russia without any hesitation ”.
Moving the discourse on the Movement, the former premier asked its compactness: “This does not mean – he specified – killing the internal debate , but then there must be a synthesis and everyone must row in the same direction. If after making a decision we continue with the distinctions, we undermine our capacity for effectiveness of political action ”.
Sentences that come just as the pentastellated members are called to pronounce themselves again on the leadership of the Movement and on the rest of the governing bodies, whose initial vote was canceled by an order of the Court of Naples, urged by the appeal of a group of militants. Voting started this morning at 8 and will end tomorrow at 22.
