Italy is doing itself a disservice if it renounces natural gas from Russia because of the war in Ukraine, according to the president of the right-wing Italian Brothers (FdI) opposition party, Giorgia Meloni, who emphasized on Wednesday that there is a lack of Western solidarity towards countries dependent on Russian gas.
Giorgia Meloni stated that if Rome "cuts off the gas supply, industrial production will stop within two or three months, and this is not self-sacrifice, but suicide."
He emphasized: shutting off the Russian gas taps is not as simple as "turning off the electricity to save money, or turning the radiator down a degree or two, it would be a much, much more aggressive step against ourselves."
The president of the Italian Brothers spoke at the presentation of the report of the American International Republican Institute (IRI) held in the upper house of the parliament.
Meloni emphasized that his party has never supported an embargo on gas from Russia. He believed that it was necessary to assess what consequences it might have for Italy, what alternative exists and how much reserve the country has.
"We are the only party that, since the beginning of the war, has been asking, while Italy is loyal to the West, how much Western solidarity is with Italy, which may pay the highest price for the current crisis," stated Giorgia Meloni.
At the same time, the president of the FdI, the most popular party in the surveys, asserted Ukraine's right to defend itself. "If Ukraine were to surrender, it would set off a domino effect in the West, starting with the possible occupation of Taiwan," Meloni believed.
Prime Minister Mario Draghi stated at his Wednesday evening press conference that Rome intends to use the most effective means to achieve peace.
"The question is whether peace can be brought about by the price of gas. If we have to choose between the two, do we want peace, or do we want to run the air conditioner all summer?” Draghi said. He noted that Italy has natural gas reserves until late October. As for the possible Russian gas embargo, the Prime Minister stated that Rome follows the decisions of the European Union.
After Germany, Italy is most dependent on Russian gas, which accounts for forty percent of gas imports. On Monday, Mario Draghi will visit Algeria, which is Italy's second largest supplier.
Source: MTI
Photo: newsmondo.it
