«With Brussels only a misunderstanding on the Pnrr. But in view of the 2024 vote, the Commission does not take sides»- Corriere.it

He sees no problems with Europe on the Pnrr: “Many countries are reviewing their plans, what is also happening for Italy is completely normal”. And the question and answer with the EU Commission they are «fruit of a misunderstanding, nothing more”. Antonio Tajani, foreign minister and deputy premier, throws water on the fire on the controversies that had led to the government irons and European leaders. But he sends a warning, in view of the 2024 European elections: «I hope that the Commission, which is the institution that represents everyone, does not take sides and remains independent of individual governments. It hasn’t always happened.” And on the hypothesis of a next one alliance between
Ppe, Liberals and Conservatives who could lead Europe in the future, claims the role of his Forza Italia as «center motoras ideals and values ​​and not only numerically».

There is talk of the next Europe but the government is now dealing with this: do you feel targeted on the Pnrr?

«An already closed episode has been exasperated with controversy. There was a statement by a spokesman, later also denied, on the role of the Court of Auditors which was also wrong on the merits. There is no attack on our part against the Court, nothing strange in the fact that a rule passed by the previous government on non-concomitant but subsequent controls on expenses is extended”.

The opposition strongly disagrees.

«The opposition makes the opposition, but also illustrious jurists such as the president emeritus of the Constitutional Court Mirabelli argue that what we do is fully legitimate. The point that interests us is to work seriously on the Pnrr and use all the funds at our disposal».

But you’re late, that’s a fact.

«But there are many countries that are changing their spending programs, not just us. The plan was launched during the Coronavirus crisis, then there was another one with the war and the energy crisis, everyone needs flexibility. And it serves not only the government, but all the subjects who will work on the Pnrr, even the left-wing local administrations that will manage funds. It’s a job that engages us all.”

There are those in the government who fear that, in view of the European elections, a centre-right executive could be the object of hostile operations by EU leaders. She?

«I expect institutions independent of individual governments, above the parties. There will be political forces that will push in one direction or the other, but I hope and expect that the commission will stay out of it, even if in the past this has not happened at times…”.

But Berlusconi himself declares that the goal is to change the balance in Europe with an alliance between the EPP, Conservatives and Liberals. Isn’t it a risk to take sides already so clearly?

«It is a fact that the center-right is growing overall: the results in Finland, Greece, Spain prove it. Then we will have to wait for the vote, of course. But I remember that in 2017 I myself was elected president of the European Parliament with a centre-right majority and certainly the pro-European thrust has not diminished in any way. Also for the current commission, we voted Ursula von der Leyen to prevent the election of Timmermans, a member of the PSE, a party that had not won the elections».

And you don’t appreciate it much…

“Its climate change policy is ideological and not going in the right direction. We think that the issue should be tackled, certainly, but with firm points. Which are the centrality of man, of the worker, respecting the environment but also social justice and pragmatism. The new rules for electric cars, packaging, the “red light” policy are very hard blows for Italy, the second largest manufacturing country in Europe. It is right to defend the environment, but also jobs and the well-being of citizens”.

Will you talk about this at the EPP summit you organized this week in Rome, after the one in Naples was cancelled?

«Of this and many topics, with particular attention to Christian values ​​- in fact there will also be meetings in the Vatican -, because the anchoring of a political force must always be clear. Even in the EPP there is attention to the centrality of man in the world of work, and we believe we can be a point of reference for these values ​​in Italy as well as, as protagonists, in Europe. Without this needing to scare anyone.”

Speaking of scares: there is excitement in FI over possible new appointments and chain of command. What happens?

«As in all parties, every now and then – calmly – assignments and tasks are renewed, and everything is always decided by our leader who is Silvio Berlusconi, who will not scrap anyone and will not change our line on the government. The rest is talk that only interests those directly concerned. Citizens don’t care about the name of a regional coordinator or a sector manager, they care about the facts: the 0.6% increase in GDP in the first quarter, that of domestic demand, the drop of half a point of inflation in a month, the growth of employment and the fall in the unemployment rate, the stock market up by 13%, the cut in the tax wedge that we want to become stable. These things they ask of us, not the assignments of Tizio or Caio. And we’re committed to that.”

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