Dragi’s enemies are doing Putin’s work”: Rome says their political crisis may cost Ukraine arms supplies .
Luigi Di Maio ,
KYIV. UkraineGate. 16. July . 2022 | Society .
The tense situation in the government of Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi threatens to deprive Ukraine of vital military support in the fight against Russia, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio warned in an interview with POLITICO .
Di Maio accused Draghi’s critics of doing the work of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Foreign Secretary has made an impassioned, last-ditch appeal to political parties not to topple the government during next week’s confidence vote in Parliament.
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“The Russians are celebrating the fall of another Western government right now,” Di Maio said.
“Now I have doubts that we can send weapons (to Ukraine). This is one of many serious problems,” he added.
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According to him, if the government is overthrown, it will continue to temporarily perform functions with limited powers until the end of the elections. That could lead to “paralysis,” depriving the country of the ability to continue arming Ukraine, help families in a cost-of-living crisis or sign new gas deals to build reserves in case Russia shuts off the taps, Di Maio warned.
“If the government falls on Wednesday, we will not have the opportunity to sign new energy contracts, and this is serious because we are approaching winter,” the minister said.
One of Di Maio’s main fears is that Italy will not be able to pass its 2023 budget, which normally passes through parliament between July and December. If elections are held in September or October, a new government may not be in place for several months due to difficulties in building coalitions, which will delay the budget.
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The 5-Star Movement, part of Prime Minister Draghi’s coalition, boycotted the confidence vote on Thursday, prompting Draghi to resign . Head of state Sergio Mattarella rejected the resignation and Draghi will return to parliament on Wednesday, potentially holding a vote on his government or resigning.
Di Maio once headed the “5 Star Movement”, but left the party a month ago over the issue of sending weapons to Ukraine. He accused the party’s current leader and former prime minister Giuseppe Conte of aiding Putin in seeking to topple the government of one of the Kremlin’s staunchest opponents.
“It is unbelievable that this ex-prime minister is attacking Draghi, helping Putin’s propaganda and autocracy over democracy,” Di Maio said. He referred to a tweet by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, in which he triumphed over Draghi’s failure in parliament.
Source: Ukrgate
