Centre-right govt won't break ranks on sanctions - Meloni

(ANSA) - ROME, SEP 5 - Giorgia Meloni, the leader of the right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, has said Italy won't break ranks with the rest of the West over sanctions on Russia if the centre-right coalition wins the September 25 general election.
    At the weekend League leader Matteo Salvini, Meloni's alliance partner, said many Italian businesses wanted the sanctions imposed over Russia's invasion of Ukraine to be revised and he called on Italy to be given compensation from the EU for the harm done to firms.
    But sitting next to Salvini at the Ambrosetti Forum at Cernobbio on Sunday, Meloni said she was against breaking ranks, arguing that such a move would damage Italy's international credibility.
    Antonio Tajani, the coordinator of Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia, the other main party in the centre-right alliance, also came out against.
    "I think the sanctions are inevitable and we must continue to impose them," Tajani said.
    "Any change of position must be taken at the European and NATO level".
    The centre-right has a big lead in the opinion polls and looks set to win the September 25 elections with a landslide.
    Meloni looks in a strong position to become Italy's first woman premier as FdI is the individual party that is top of the polls.
    (ANSA).