“The EU is growing, it is becoming increasingly important, it is becoming that institution that all EU countries look to as an institution capable of giving them stability and security”. The Prime Minister said so Mario Draghi at the end of the two days dedicated to the meeting of EU and Western Balkans leaders, to the European Council and to the Eurosummit after the go-ahead Ukraine and Moldova for the status of candidate country to join the Union. “It was decided that the enlargement process, so demanding and bureaucratic, will remain demanding but will be much less bureaucratic, the EU will take on a less grim dimension”, added Draghi.
Draghi: "We are preparing for winter storage"
At the European summit "there was talk of energy, of what to do about such high prices", continued the Prime Minister, adding that "in the euro area, above all because of the energy prices and inflationforecasts are for a slight slowdown in all countries. We are committed to protecting and supporting the purchasing power of Italians,” Draghi said. Then he explained that “Italy, for storage, is doing very well and there dependence on Russian gas, which was 40% last year, is now 25%: the measures we have put in place are starting to give results”. “
The premier's warning is that “we need to act immediately on energy prices because what is happening is that inflation that essentially depended on energy now also depends on other things. These increases spread and become increases in other commodities”.
Draghi: "Putin has already cut gas supplies, EU in trouble"
On energy “there is a lot of awareness of the seriousness of the situation, continued the former number one of the ECB. “There has been a lot of talk about coordination and solidarity, which of course there must be and there must also be an answer to controlling the price of gas. The objection made to the price cap it is the fear that in response Russia will cut supplies, but now in Germany we are at 50% of the flows. Putin collects the same figures and the EU has immense difficulties”, added Draghi at a press conference in Brussels.
No to the new gas price roof summit
“Countries are very hesitant to act on energy prices,” continued the premier. “I asked for a Extraordinary advice on energy in July but it has been pointed out to me that we do not yet have a study to discuss. Here, now in the final resolution the Council invites the Commission to produce this study by September, to then discuss it in the October Council". Therefore, the Italian premier does not intend to let go of the price cap, supported above all by the French president Emmanuel Macron and the Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
In any case, “the measures that are being thought of” in Italy “ensure that there is no emergency during the winter. The picture, thanks to the search for other suppliers, sees Italy in a good position. We talked about a refreshment mechanism for those most affected by the sanctions. There are many asymmetries”, on military commitment, flows of refugees or energies, Draghi continues. "But they're not one-way asymmetries, it's not just us affected by these."
On the split in the M5S, Draghi replied dryly: “no reshuffle, I feel with the same mandate”.
