Crucial challenges for EU, now show unity says Fitto

(ANSA) - ROME, NOV 27 - European Commission Vice President with the cohesion brief Raffaele Fitto said the European Union faced crucial challenges and must show the utmost unity after Ursula von der Leyen's renewed team was approved by the European Parliament Wednesday with the votes of Fitto's Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group combining with the Socialists and the European People's Party.
    "The European Union is facing crucial challenges on which its future and that of its citizens depends," said the former European Affairs minister on Facebook.
    "In the coming years it will be essential for us all to work together and show unity because only in this way will we be able to overcome these challenges, relaunch the European project and strongly defend the values ;;on which it is founded.
    "These objectives can only be achieved with everyone's contribution.
    "All my energy and all my commitment over the next five years will be dedicated to this purpose, in full compliance with the Treaties and in defense of the common European interest".
    The appointment of Fitto, a former Christian Democrat who is a bigwig in Premier Giorgia Meloni's right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, had been held up by a Socialist veto.
    With his cohesion portfolio, Fitto will be in charge of overseeing the post-COVID National Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRRPs). (ANSA).