The Minister, who started his career as a journalist, was an early supporter of Forza Italia, served as a Member of Parliament in Rome and then in Strasbourg, and was European Commissioner twice, is leaving Rome tomorrow to “stand by Sardinia”. In the aftermath of the cyclone, the Deputy Prime Minister, Antonio Tajani, has chosen to be there. There is only one thing the Foreign Minister has decided not to do, i.e. answering questions about friction with Matteo Salvini, including the meeting between the League Secretary and Tommy Robinson, the British leader of the Islamophobic far right. Tajani does not even give Trump a rating.
Minister, you are returning to the island to take stock of the damage caused by cyclone Harry: an estimated £200 million damage, but only £33 million has been promised by the government so far. Is there cause for concern?
“It has been made clear that the initial allocation is necessary to cover the most urgent expenses, which, in many cases, in Sardinia as in Sicily and Calabria, are also very significant. Just think of the hundreds of displaced people in Niscemi and the families who need to be brought to safety immediately”.
On 26 January, the Council of Ministers declared a state of national emergency for one year: will this be the time for reconstruction?
“The overall reconstruction will certainly take longer. The state of national emergency enables State administrations to take immediate emergency measures with accelerated procedures. As early as these hours, amid the predictable and damaging controversy, a serious and responsible discussion has begun: Italy is facing an epochal challenge. It needs to protect its coastlines and river valleys, which are now prone to flooding due to climate change, which causes “cloudbursts” and exceptional flash floods. It is a formidable challenge, requiring billions of euros of work over many years. We need to make quick decisions on the national project “Rescue Italy”, which needs to be implemented as soon as possible.
Have you been in direct contact with Regional Governor Alessandra Todde recently?
‘I have spoken to her to arrange this first mission to the island: together we will discuss what a Ministry with our expertise can do for Italy. We promote exports, and we cannot weaken Sardinian companies or leave even one of them behind: if companies have suffered damage, if the system has slowed down in its ability to sell goods across borders, we will have damage to the Region’s economy. But the island needs to have its own economic strength that enables it to face this period of huge difficulty by focusing on physical reconstruction and the strengthening of the productive fabric.”
Bad weather aside, after two years of PD-M5S coalition rule, what is your opinion of the island’s politics?
You know, I am used to looking at facts. After two years, my opinion is that there has been a lot of propaganda and little substance. Sardinia needs infrastructure, real territorial continuity and not just announcements. The island needs an energy policy that does not penalise companies and households. I see a coalition often divided by internal vetoes between the Five Star Movement and the radical left-wing parties, which ends up immobilising the region. We propose a model of action, that of a united centre-right coalition that focuses on development and not on the excesses of the Welfare State”.
Todde still faces the risk of losing her office: is Forza Italia ready for elections?
“We always respect the work of the judiciary and institutional procedures, but Forza Italia does not live in anticipation of judgments and verdicts. We are ready every day. If we were to return to the polls, our Party is already mobilised across the region: the movement is constantly growing, thanks in part to the work of Regional Secretary Pietro Pittalis and local leaders. We do not chase other people’s crises, but we have a solid alternative project to give Sardinians back a secure leadership”.
Regardless of when the election takes place, is it up to you to choose the next candidate for the Presidency in Sardinia?
‘In a healthy coalition, decisions are made together. Forza Italia claims its central role as the linchpin of the centre-right coalition: we are the moderate, liberal and pro-European wing. It is not a matter of flags, primacy or distribution of seats, but of candidates. We will bring high-profile candidates to the coalition negotiating table, capable of uniting and ruling well. Will the candidate be a representative of Forza Italia? We have all the credentials, experience and human resources to lead the Region. We will discuss this fairly with our allies.”
Are you looking for the new faces that Pier Silvio Berlusconi has asked for?
“Pier Silvio and our founder’s family have expressed a wish that is shared by the whole Party: to open up to civil society. Forza Italia is not a closed circle, it is an open Party. We are already bringing in local administrators, professionals, young people and women who have never been actively involved in politics, but identify themselves with our values. Renewal does not mean scrapping: it means bringing in new energy to a tried and tested experience. In Sardinia, you will see many new candidates on our lists.”
As leader of Forza Italia, do you take credit for having kept the party alive after Berlusconi’s death, with excellent election results?
I cannot take credit for this. Credit goes to our entire community that was able to turn the pain and loss suffered following the death of President Berlusconi into responsibility. I have only tried to stay the course by following his teachings. Many bet on our demise, but we are alive and well, central to the government and decisive in Europe. The election results show that Italy is hungry for seriousness and a moderate centre that only we represent. We continue to work humbly in Silvio Berlusconi’s footsteps.”
Does Forza Italia want the bridge over the Strait of Messina?
“We want it because Sicily, Calabria and Italy need it. We also want it because it has always been one of Silvio Berlusconi’s battles. This is the reason why we need not defund it. The resources for the damage caused by bad weather in the South will follow other tracks. As I have already said, the bridge over the Strait of Messina is needed by the South and by Italy”.
Are you more concerned about the conflict in Ukraine or the powder keg in the Middle East?
‘We are concerned about the profound destabilisation that these two conflicts are causing in areas far beyond those where the military events are taking place. The war in Ukraine is a threat to Europe because Russia has violated that country’s sovereignty, but also a fundamental law of international politics in Europe: conflicts between States are not resolved by the stronger invading the weaker and trying to exterminate its population. In the Middle East, the massacre of October 7, Israel’s war in Gaza with tens of thousands of deaths, Israeli and US military intervention in Iran, but also the new war threats after the repression in Iran, may bring further material and political destruction. “
In Iran, it seems that 30,000 people have been killed by the regime during the latest protests. Will there be a new US attack?
“The death toll from the repression is uncertain, but it is certainly very high. This is the reason why we in Europe have asked to send a strong political signal to Iran, paving the way for the Pasdaran to be declared a “terrorist organisation”. There are currently new signs of US military movements: Italy’s position remains that everything needs to be resolved through negotiation. This is a hope that we cherish, and which President Trump himself has said he prefers to new military confrontations.”
With specific reference to the Crans Montana affair, Moretti was released from prison, and you recalled the Italian ambassador to Switzerland. What happens now?
The government took immediate action with one single aim: to be close to and fully support the victims’ families. In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, on January 2, I went to Switzerland to be with them. At first, it was difficult even to get news about the injured people. Now we will support these parents in their quest for justice
Are you ready for next year’s elections?
“As with the vote in Sardinia, our movement is always ready for elections. We are building a strategy and a path to relaunch the Party; we are dedicating ourselves to choosing the right policies to solve Italy’s problems. This is what we intend to show to Italian voters when they are called to the polls. You will see that all the internal debate about divisions and possible factions within Forza Italia will ultimately have a truly useful outcome: we will not be arguing about this or that internal position, but about the policies to choose and present to voters.”