Meloni's day: Ukraine call and visit to earthquake-hit Amatrice amid economic worries

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's post-holiday schedule includes a crucial call with allies concerning Ukraine and a visit to Amatrice, a town devastated by an earthquake a decade ago. The call, set for 1 p.m., will focus on reaffirming Italy's stance against deploying troops to Ukraine while maintaining military and energy support for the civilian population.

At 4:30 p.m., Meloni will travel by helicopter to Amatrice. Her visit includes stops at the Monument to the Victims and a mass celebrated by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi at the sports field. The slow pace of reconstruction and the plight of residents living in prefabricated homes since 2016 are issues Meloni intends to address, aiming to "accelerate" the rebirth of these communities. Her staff appears unconcerned about potential protests, dismissing comparisons to recent incidents in Taranto.

Meloni is bringing five measures for Amatrice, Accumoli, and Arquata del Tronto, included in the latest Public Administration decree. Back in Palazzo Chigi, the Prime Minister faces pressing economic concerns, including rising fuel prices. While mobile excise duties remain in effect until Wednesday, she must find funds to lower the price of diesel and gasoline. Previous budget cuts have limited options, and resistance from Deputy Prime Ministers Matteo Salvini and Antonio Tajani has blocked proposals to increase cigarette prices.

Economically, Meloni awaits September 22, when Eurostat will release the deficit-to-GDP ratio. Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti expresses "cautious optimism" that the figure will fall below 3%, a crucial decimal that could help Italy exit an EU infringement procedure. This would provide maneuvering room for budget adjustments to better manage the energy crisis and defense spending, following flexibility secured in Brussels. The government's objective is to pass a budget that, if "expansionary" on wages, taxes, and utility discounts, could extend the legislature until September 2027.

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«no» all’invio di truppe italiane come garanzia di sicurezza, ma anche il sostegno militare (ci siamo con l’ennesimo pacchetto) ed energetico alle popolazioni civili.