Deputy Premier and Interior
Minister Matteo Salvini hit back on Monday after European
Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic expressed concern about
the political situation in Italy and the rise of Salvini's
League party.
"It is the umpteenth attack by Europe on Italy, on the League
and on the government," Salvini said.
"Now they are taking an interest in us, but for years the
Eurobureaucrats ignored our country's requests for help to stop
the arrivals (of asylum seekers) and saddled us with 700,000
immigrants.
"It would be better if he apologised and shut up".
Sefcovic, who announced Monday that he is seeking the
nomination of the European Progressive Alliance of Socialists
and Democrats to be the next Commission president, said that "we
are all worried" when asked by ANSA about the political
situation in Italy and the League.
"I have been to Italy many times and I was always impressed
by how this great, important European country was honestly
pro-EU," Sefcovic told ANSA.
"It's truly a new situation for us.
"We have to ensure that, in the future, Italy returns to
being the great G7 country that is strongly pro-EU again".
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