EXCLUSIVE: Salvini Calls For Aid! Will Russia Help Italy Fight EU's Plan to Blacken Continent?
The EU countries will gather this weekend for an emergency summit in view of the aggravated situation with refugees. Rome declared to Berlin that Italy’s ports would no longer accept refugee rescue ships. Matteo Salvini, the new head of the Italian Ministry of the Interior, announced a plan for an ultra-rigid migration policy. Our correspondent was able to interview him in his new office for the first time since his appointment.
Asya Emelyanova is reporting on Salvini's vision for Italy's future, which he shared with her in person.
First things first, congratulations on the new appointment. Then, an interview follows. For the first time, Matteo Salvini gave his interview to the Rossiya Tv channel not in Milan, not at the headquarters of the Lega Nord party, but in his new office of the Minister of the Interior.
- The government took the oath of office on June 1st.
Matteo Salvini: It's been 20 days.
- There were people who didn't bet a cent on the fact that you will carry on for so long; they expected you would end up with a conflict. But you are still here, in the Ministry of the Interior!
- It has been 20 intense, busy days. We have returned dignity and pride for the country to Italians. We began saying "no" when a pretentious "yes" is expected; and we are addressing the issues of security, unemployment, and migrants. These 20 days compensated for the 4 lost years of silence and inaction.
Salvini started off with migrants: he closed the port for the "Aquarius" ship with 620 refugees on board. The Minister's words were, of course, twisted; We clarify, that Italy didn't intend to proceed in this manner with every ship.
- You've never said that you will close the ports for everyone — only for those humanitarian ships that are secretly cooperating with traffickers.
- Of course. Moreover, humanitarian corridors are working in Africa.
- I will continue — on that day, the Dattilo warship came to Italy, 900 people on board were let in!
- That's it! It's necessary to conduct selection in Africa, as it's already being done. The problem is that most of those migrants who arrive and stay here for 1-3 years at our expense, don't really run from anything. And we don't get to defend the real refugees, those who have the right to asylum — there can be only 7 refugees per 100 people, according to the law.
- Migrants will be the topic of No. 1 at the Brussels summit. The topic No. 2 is Russia and the extension of anti-Russian sanctions, which, according to the new Italian government, should be lifted. How do you envision the improvement of Italy-Russia Relations?
- The new government has come to power and is aiming at achieving what it promised during the election campaign. Sanctions against Russia are useless and harmful. Full stop. We are ready to transition from words to deeds. But in Europe, we are almost alone in this position — alone against the whole world! Every time we start talking about Russia, we are accused of being financed by Putin, that Russian hackers and Russian bankers are working for us. I believe that Russia and Italy — Russia and the EU — should talk to each other, trade, cooperate in the field of economy, fight against terrorism.
- Are you ready for a veto?
- I will not take our prime minister's job away, but we are Lega and Five Star Movement, so…
- You will insist on this regard.
- We are allied and hope that we'll be convincing! We'll see!
Asya Yemelyanova, Viktor Kazakov, Vesti, from Rome, Italy