Budget, EU discussed at Meloni-Mattarella meeting

(ANSA) - ROME, NOV 28 - Premier Giorgia Meloni visited the Quirinale presidential palace in Rome on Wednesday for a reserved meeting with head of State Sergio Mattarella, sources at the Quirinale told ANSA on Thursday.
    The meeting was "cordial and cooperative" the sources said.
    Mattarella and Meloni had an hour-long lunchtime meeting, Palazzo Chigi sources explained on Thursday.
    The lunch was unconnected to tensions between members of the ruling coalition in the Senate on Wednesday over cutting the license fee for State broadcaster Rai and an amendment concerning healthcare in Calabria, according to the sources.
    The talks had already been planned last week, including to discuss the earlier mission of the Head of State to China and the premier's participation in a G20 summit in Brazil, the sources said.
    Meloni went to the Quirinale Palace after attending the Mediterranean Dialogues conference in Rome.
    Mattarella and Meloni have previously met after important trips abroad, the same sources said, however previous meetings at the Quirinale had remained confidential.
    The themes discussed at the meeting included, among other issues, the budget law, and the imminent departure of the hitherto minister for European affairs Raffaele Fitto who will become an executive vice president with the brief for cohesion and the NRRP of the European Commission, the sources noted.
    (ANSA).