Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure Matteo Salvini has again called for a return to Russian gas purchases to prevent an “energy lockdown“.
He made the statement while closing a rally of “Patriots for Europe“ in Milan as leader of the “Lega“ party, which is part of the ruling coalition in Italy.
“Even the president of the industrial association Confindustria Emanuele Orsini said: “We need to change who is running this Europe.“The brilliant“ Ursula von der Leyen's proposal is a new blockade," Salvini said.
"The US has just suspended sanctions blocking trade and purchases of Russian oil until May 16. This was not done by a small former Soviet republic, but by the largest democracy in the world. If they take such decisions in Washington, they should do the same in Brussels," he added. “Instead of closing schools and factories“, he continued, “let's go back to buying gas from all over the world, including Russia, because we are not at war with Russia.“
Salvini also called for the suspension of the Stability Pact, the EU's main document regulating the economic indicators and standards that European economies must respect in order to keep their budget deficits within certain limits.
“Brussels wants to solve the energy crisis with a new lockdown. Thank you, we have been there before. We do not intend to close schools and factories and keep workers at home. We want to live, learn and work,“, Salvini added.