Meloni: “Agreements with Algeria. Soon agreements with other countries, a fundamental energy mix”. And on wiretapping: “It is necessary to intervene”

“Today Algeria is our main gas supplier. Two agreements have been signed by Eni and its Algerian counterpart, one agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, therefore for sustainable development, and the other is to achieve to an increase in gas exports from Algeria to Italy and the EU, the construction of a new hydrogen gas pipeline, the possibility of making liquefied gas, in short, an energy mix mechanism that we identify as a possible solution to the crisis in deed”. Speak to the prime minister Giorgia Meloni on an official visit to Algeria. At the press conference, alongside the president Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the prime minister thanked the North African country as a “reliable and strategically important partner”. The government – she added – “intends to strengthen collaboration with Algeria in other fields, strengthen it in the energy, political and cultural fields”. Meloni spoke of the need for “a Mattei plan for Africa”. At the center of the conversation between Meloni and Tebboune, also “the stabilization of Libya” and Mali, where – says the Italian premier – there is an instability that worries us”. As for Palestine, “the two-state solution can ensure peace in the region”

Signed agreements

Energy, business and space at the heart of the agreement signed between Italy and Algeria. In detail, an Eni-Sonatrach Memorandum of Understanding was signed on the technological collaboration in the reduction of gas flaring (gas combustion), valorisation and other technologies for the reduction of emissions. The purpose of the Memorandum is to jointly identify possible activities aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Algeria. The Agreement also envisages joint projects on the reduction of CO2 emissions in hydrocarbon production facilities in Algeria. The memorandum was signed for the Italian side by the CEO of Eni, Claudio Descalziand for the Algerian side the PDG of Sonatrach Toufik Hakkar. Regarding the forecasts of eliminating supplies to Italy of Russian gas, the CEO of the energy giant said he was “positive” foreseeing “winter 2024/2025” as the deadline.

Government nodes

From Algeria, the premier returned to the interceptions which in recent days have created various tensions in the majority. According to Meloni “it is necessary to fix the things that don’t work, and what doesn’t work is a certain use made of wiretapping. We have to look for the most effective solutions to understand which points concerning the rule of law don’t work”. Meloni will meet with the Minister of Justice this week Charles Nordio. “I asked all the ministers for a timetable: I would like to work on a calendar of government work in 2023. I am organizing a tour with the various ministers”, she added. On the strike of the petrol stations, called for 25 and 26 January, Meloni assures that “the government has never imagined measures to point out the category of petrol stations but to recognize the value of the many honest people. Then the average price did not say that they were skyrocketing. There was very little speculation. But we could not go back on the provision which is right, publishing the average price is common sense”. Meloni also intervenes on the bathing issue, raised by an amendment to the Milloproroghe presented by FdI and which aims to postpone the tendering of the establishments. “I haven’t changed on the subject”, confirms the prime minister from Algiers. The European directive “was not to be applied”, she says. “Now it’s a question of understanding which is the most effective solution at a structural level. I imagine a non-temporary solution, we will convene the beach associations before the vote on the amendments and understand if the extension or other solutions are more effective, my goal is to put safely those entrepreneurs”.