Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni on Thursday took part in her first European Council since becoming premier in September. She called for EU leaders to agree on measures to address the energy crisis.
As she arrived at the summit, Meloni said she expected EU leaders to agree on new measures to address the problem of soaring energy prices.
“It is a political issue, not a highly technical one,” she said. “The Council has what it takes to take steps forward and we will seek common solutions that are effective”.
Earlier this week Meloni said the European Commission’s proposal for a price cap on gas imported from Russia was “unsatisfactory and unworkable”. Italy has been pushing hard for a gas-price cap system to curtail the speculative price hikes.
Also asked for solution on migrant arrivals
Meloni also called on the EU to find a “structural” solution with regard to migrant arrivals. Meloni’s government has taken a tough stance on migrants, including efforts to discourage NGO-run search-and-rescue ships from docking in Italy.
She says Italy is taking too much of the burden of managing the asylum seekers that cross the Mediterranean from North Africa. She has also called for action to reinforce the EU’s external border.
2023 Budget approval
The Prime Minister also called on the Italian parliament to move quickly on approving her government’s 2023 budget bill. The Commission gave the package its all-clear on Wednesday, while picking fault with some aspects of it.
