Italy hopes for important role in new EU Commission - Meloni

(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 4 - Italy "has what it takes" to have an important role in the European Commission that will be formed following European Parliament elections in June, Premier Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday.
    "I believe Italy has what it takes to play an important role in line with its weight: it is another goal the country has set itself," Meloni told reporters during her end-of-year press conference in the Lower House.
    It is important to work to ensure that "tomorrow we have a Commission and policies that are stronger in crisis scenarios, more effective, more determined in the pursuit of their strategic agenda in order to avoid delivering ourselves over to new dangerous dependencies", she continued.
    "We must learn from our mistakes, (and be) more effective on migration," added Meloni.
    In response to a question on the possibility that former premier and former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi might become the next EC president, Meloni said discussing names "is not the issue".
    "The real topic is what the commission should do," said the premier.
    "Today I do not believe it is possible to talk about who might lead the commission (and) Draghi has said he is not available.
    "These are two elements for consideration," she added. (ANSA).