Today, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, had a telephone meeting with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva.
The meeting – the second in just a few weeks – focused on the situation in Tunisia, and in particular on the country’s economic context.
In particular, Minister Tajani stressed the urgency of sending as soon as possible a clear signal of willingness to approve the financial support package. “Italy is ready to do its part to meet Tunisia’s financing needs”, said Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister, adding that “its stability and security are closely linked not only to those of Italy, but of the whole of Europe”. “Decisive action by the Tunisian authorities, together with solid external assistance, is needed more than ever”, Tajani continued.
The telephone meeting with Georgieva is part of Italy’s all-round action to support the Tunisian people. This action is carried out both at the bilateral level – with Minister Tajani’s frequent meetings with his main international counterparts and in particular with the Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nabil Ammar – and at the European level. In fact, at the explicit request of Minister Tajani, a debate on Tunisia and on possible financial interventions by the EU was included on the agenda of the last EU Foreign Affairs Council held on Monday.
