“Five years ago I was sitting among you, I remember my political journey, from local to national in Brussels: I have always worked for a stronger Europe. It is an honour for me and I am ready to put all my experience at the service of the Commission. It is an honour that my government has nominated me. I am not here to represent a political party or a Member State, but for my commitment to Europe”. He begins by saying Raffaele Fitto, Commissioner-designate for Cohesion Policy and Executive Vice-President of the Commission before the members of the Committee on Regional Development of the Parliament European. A'long and detailed hearing all focused on obscuring his current membership in Fratelli d'Italia. In the end, however, there was no final evaluation for his role as executive vice president, which will be examined at a date to be determined together with the other five vice presidents.
Commissioner, but also “transformist”: Raffaele Fitto tells his story
In his replies to the MEPs, the Commissioner-designate tries to emphasise the discontinuity compared to the current one role of minister of a government, the Italian one, led by the president of the ECR group of the European Parliament which voted against the confirmation of Ursula von der Leyen to the Presidency of the European Commission. Fitto declares his intention to respond to the challenges posed by the different level of development between geographical areas in the various Member States and has undertaken the commitment to offer opportunities to all, in particular to young, so that they can stay and thrive in their home regions. It pledges to use the so-called “place-based approach” to better respond to local needs and work more closely with local authorities. Answering questions from MEPs on the future of the cohesion policy, Fitto says it needs to be simplified and made more flexible and that i administrative burdens they must be reducedFor the first time, the Commission has a dedicated portfolio for simplification, he added. However, simplification cannot mean a reduction in transparency or democratic control, Fitto argued, also highlighting the important work done by the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPP) and the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) to ensure that EU funds are spent as intended.
Fitto is also committed to promoting solutions that leverage the expertise of local actors and are flexible enough to meet different local needs. At the same time, it wants to develop targeted approaches to local industrial policy and exploit the potential of tourism.
Fitto outlines his agenda for cohesion policies
In response to questions about efforts to strengthen rural regions affected by the depopulation and from escape of brains, Fitto stresses the importance of ensuring high-quality employment, local administrative capacity, infrastructure, including digital, and public services in each region. He also commits to supporting talent development and job opportunities and to accelerating the implementation of the Just Transition Fund.
Fitto announces intention to develop a global political agenda for cities, including housing, digitalisation and social inclusion. Citizens living in the EU's eastern border regions also need maximum EU support, he said.
Fitto under pressure: “My role is to represent Europe, not a party”
At some points Fitto finds himself in the corner and tries to fend from the accusations to have assumed as MEP by Ecr positions incompatible with the role of EU Commissioner. He is reminded that he supported the position of the right, according to which the use of the procedure of Article 7 of the EU Treaty (against countries that do not respect the fundamental values of the Union) would be an attempt to overthrow democratically elected governments. "Each of us has a political path, and the debate on a topic in parliament for a MEP is one thing, an institutional role is another", observed the commissioner-designate. "I know well - he adds later - that my role is differentiated, and I make the difference: being a MEP means representing a party, being a minister of a country means having an institutional role and representing one's own country, because one swears on the Constitution; being a European Commissioner means representing the European Union, the European Commission.
To a member of parliament who asked him why he had recalled in his written answers the beginning of his political career in the Christian Democracy, instead of talking about his current party, Fratelli d'Italia, Fitto replies: "I mentioned the DC which was my first party; then I had a long political experience and I would have filled many pages if I had told all the other stages. But I am here also because my government, led by Giorgia Meloni, proposed me, and I am honored by this".
Hungarian MEP Klara Dobrev (S&D) asks him whether he will support EU action for the safeguarding the rule of law, especially with regard to Viktor Orban's Hungary, and also asked how he would position himself when, he said, "soon, even the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will be in the same situation" as Orban. "I won't comment on the final auspices of his speech, let's say, it's better to avoid it," the designated commissioner replied.
Greens press Fitto on Green Deal
As expected, the parliamentarians of the Greens/Ale group have expressed their opposition to the appointment of Fitto as executive vice-president. In particular, they contest Fitto's lack of commitment towards the Green Deal and respect for EU values. According to MEP Bas Eickhout, co-president of the Greens/EFA, "Raffaele Fitto has repeatedly demonstrated, through his far-right political affiliation, that he does not support these values and does not have the interests of the European Union and its citizens at heart. This makes him unfit to represent the Commission in such an important role as Executive Vice-President". Furthermore, according to the Greens, "any attempt by the EPP to delay confirmations of qualified commissioners such as Teresa Ribera e Stephane Sejourné as retaliation for Fitto it will mean that the EPP will be responsible for delaying the confirmation of the college as a whole, only to confirm a far-right candidate who is unfit to represent the Commission as its Executive Vice-President”.
Positive comments come from Fitto's political side. "A flawless, politically correct hearing" he says Fulvio Martusciello, leader of Forza Italia in the EP, commented on the hearing of Raffaele Fitto, executive vice-president designate for Cohesion and Reforms, at the European Parliament. “We knew that the end of this game was already written, in which the commissioners and their programs have little to do with it. A chess game is underway between the leaders and the green lights will be crossed,” added Martusciello.
