The presence in Veneto of the three centre-right leaders supporting Alberto Stefani, and the League\u2019s threat not to vote for the next decree on sending weapons to Ukraine, are closely connected: it is election season, after all. This, in essence, is the view of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, who\u2014using the measured language expected of a diplomat\u2014suggests that such threats made in the middle of an election campaign carry little weight, and that Salvini will ultimately fall into line, as he has always done. And because we are in the midst of campaigning, the Forza Italia leader sidesteps yesterday\u2019s institutional row between Fratelli d\u2019Italia and the Italian Presidency, choosing not to comment. On the issue of Autonomia (the system granting certain Italian regions greater legislative and administrative powers), however, he does not hide his concern regarding the pre-agreements between the State and the Regions, stressing that LEPs (Essential Levels of Services, guaranteeing minimum rights and services to all citizens across Italy) are necessary to ensure equality for all Italian citizens\u201d.<\/p>\n
Minister, now that the long cycle of six regional elections has ended, what will change? Could the overall vote share alter the balance of power and shift government policy?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThese elections do not change the national outlook. Our government is solid and functioning very well. I am of course pleased that Forza Italia is growing, which reflects the appreciation for our work. Naturally, if the balance within the coalition evolves, adjustments may follow, but always with mutual respect and the loyalty that defines our alliance\u201d.<\/p>\n If Forza Italia were to overtake the League and become the second-largest party, would you request a reallocation of ministerial posts?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAbsolutely not. There is no need for a reshuffle. The government works perfectly well as it is. I am not interested in positions, but in results. What matters is the ability to shape policy\u2014and my party is doing so: from justice to housing, foreign affairs to the defence of private property, simplification and tax cuts\u201d.<\/p>\n No resources for the housing plan in the budget, yet higher taxes on rentals, fast-track evictions and a pre-election amnesty. What do you agree with, and what not?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cFor us, property rights are non-negotiable. We have tabled an amendment to prevent any tax increases on short-term rentals. As for evictions, safeguarding private property and ensuring contractual certainty are legitimate goals. At the same time, shortening procedures excessively risks leaving families who are involuntarily in arrears without alternatives. We must find the right balance. Funds for the Housing Plan do exist. Housing policy remains a priority for us. As for the amnesty, in 2003 Bassolino and the left prevented citizens in Campania from benefiting from it. Today, the alternative cannot be the demolition of thousands of homes\u201d.<\/p>\n Should the League\u2019s move on Differentiated Autonomy before the vote have been avoided?<\/strong> \u201cDifferentiated Autonomy is part of the government\u2019s programme and is eagerly awaited in Veneto. We support it, and we will implement it in full compliance with the Constitution and the Court\u2019s rulings. The pre-agreements signed in recent hours are procedural steps; they do not change the substance. LEPs are still required to ensure equality in fundamental rights across the country\u201d.<\/p>\n On resources: will Italy join the EU\u2019s common fund to purchase US weapons?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cItaly continues to support Ukraine with both military and civilian assistance. We are preparing the twelfth package. Concerning military aid offered through the United States, the matter is complex: we need clarity on details, mechanisms and financial coverage. We already have major commitments, having reached 2% of GDP in NATO defence spending. Any decision must respect budget constraints and be discussed calmly with our American allies. There is no pressure\u2014only constructive dialogue\u201d.<\/p>\n When the renewal of military aid to Ukraine goes to a vote, the League\u2019s support is not guaranteed. What happens if they vote against it?<\/strong> \u201cThe government holds a united position, also confirmed by the Supreme Defence Council: full support for Ukraine. This is the majority\u2019s line and has been reaffirmed repeatedly. It is normal for coalitions to contain different sensitivities, but responsibility always prevails. We have approved eleven aid packages together; the twelfth has already been set out. Supporting Ukraine means defending international law and our own security. This is not warmongering; it is preventing a larger country from invading a smaller one. That is a matter of principle. Parliamentary democracies naturally have internal debates\u2014even heated ones. It happens in Germany, France, everywhere. What matters is that a clear line ultimately prevails\u2014and it does: Atlanticism, Europeanism, support for international law\u201d.<\/p>\n Do you agree with those who fear Europe would collapse if Ukraine falls?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIf Ukraine falls, Europe is in danger. This is not rhetoric\u2014it is geopolitics. It would mean an authoritarian regime can invade a European country and go unpunished. Where would Putin stop? Moldova? The Baltic states? This is why we support Kyiv: out of realism. Europe must become stronger, more autonomous, capable of defending itself\u201d.<\/p>\n How serious is the risk that Italy\u2019s national system suffers economic damage from hybrid warfare conducted by foreign powers using AI-driven tools? Are we adequately protected?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe hybrid threat is real and serious. We know that Russia, China and other hostile actors use cyber-attacks, disinformation and sabotage. Italy has raised its alert level, particularly for critical infrastructure. Our intelligence services work effectively and coordinate with our allies. We do not want to fuel unnecessary alarm, but vigilance is at its highest. We are investing in cyber-security, network protection and counter-disinformation. The alert level is appropriate to the threat: high, but managed with competence and discretion\u201d.<\/p>\n Final question: why has Trentini not yet been released, unlike the French prisoner?<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe Trentini case is extremely important to us, and we are working tirelessly for his release. Situations vary from country to country: in Iran, for example, Cecilia Sala and Alessia Piperno were released quickly, whereas some French hostages were freed only after years. With Venezuela, the situation is more complex. But we are not giving up. We maintain constant contacts, including through indirect channels. Two other Italians were recently released by the Venezuelan government. Trentini\u2019s case is different, possibly linked to internal matters there. Above all, the international environment is strained by a serious confrontation between Caracas and Washington. Naturally, we do not disclose everything publicly\u2014hostage diplomacy requires discretion. But the Trentini family must know that we are working, and will continue to work: he has not been forgotten\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The presence in Veneto of the three centre-right leaders supporting Alberto Stefani, and the League\u2019s threat not to vote for the next decree on sending weapons to Ukraine, are closely connected: it is election season, after all. This, in essence, is the view of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, who\u2014using the measured language expected […]","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":159995,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[28,360],"class_list":["post-160068","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviste","tag-ministro","tag-ucraina"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160068","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=160068"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160068\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":160071,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160068\/revisions\/160071"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/159995"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=160068"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=160068"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=160068"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}