Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni met Angela Merkel in Berlin. Above all, public finances and dieselgate were on the table, but the premier also spoke on the earthquake that once again struck central Italy, on Trump's inauguration and on Brexit.
"We cannot give the impression that in a stormy sea the EU moves with a small cabotage and adopts a sort of alternating current flexibility: very rigid on the decimals of the budgets and very broad on fundamental issues such as the migration issue", he said said Gentiloni at the press conference reiterating the positions already expressed in recent days by the President of the Republic Mattarella and emphasizing that there is often talk of a "two-speed Europe, I would say that there is a two-speed Europe, too rigid on some things, too flexible on others”.
“We talked with Chancellor Merkel about the destiny of Europe – he continued – we know that it is going through a difficult phase. Italy and Germany are among the countries convinced of the extraordinary importance of the European future”. Italy and Germany intend to work together to “relaunch the EU by thinking about the challenges it faces in terms of growth, jobs, investments, migrants and the defense of our principles. We believe that the phase of austerity as an end in itself is over and we hope for an open and constructive discussion on the subject. Sometimes the disproportion between the challenges that await us and the discussion of commas and quibbles is jarring”.
The premier also spoke of the upcoming inauguration of the new US president Donald Trump: "Collaboration with Trump is fundamental, but our principles are just as important": he said, taking the opportunity to wish the new tenant of the White House best wishes . For Gentiloni, the best response to renew trust in Europe must come from Europe itself, which must resolve the challenges it faces and strengthen itself, in particular, in the common defence.
A clarification also on the controversy that pitted Rome and Berlin on FCA: “We have had controversies in recent days, one in particular on the emissions of some FCA models. I simply reiterated to Merkel in friendship that these are matters regulated by the laws which attribute controls to the national authorities” and that “there is a commission” at the European level. “We decide what concerns us and we are sure that the Germans do the same”.
A joke also on Brexit: “I think Theresa May's speech yesterday filled what was a headline until now with content, now we have more clarity on what 'brexit is brexit' means for the British government. The EU is ready to discuss with an attitude of solidarity and friendship for the United Kingdom. I am pleased that May has confirmed her commitment on the political and military level and that the modalities and times are written in the treaties. On these bases, I believe an agreement can be reached”.
“On the issue of migration, I don't think that the problems have been solved, on the contrary we have big problems within the European Union”, Merkel replied instead, “Germany has welcomed many migrants, as has Italy, while we have not yet found a sustainable solution and unfortunately not all countries are at the same level in assuming responsibility, but instead it is important to address the issue at a European level”.
“With Theresa May's speech”, continued the chancellor, “we had a clear impression of what the negotiations will be like, but these will start when the official request is presented. The important thing is that Europe does not become disunited”.
