Premier Giorgia Meloni on Thursday
called for urgent action from the European Union on the energy
squeeze saying Italy had a "sword of Damocles" hanging over its
head due to soaring power bills.
"Unfortunately we have a sword of Damocles of expensive energy
that is draining resources," she told Italian mayors at the
annual general meeting of the ANCI municipalities association in
Bergamo.
"The interventions (to keep bills down) cost us about five
billion euros a month: we are studying the proposals that have
arrived, but if the European Commission fails to act it will be
difficult to cope with these costs".
The EC has proposed a gas price cap which many countries
including Italy say does not go far enough.
Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto
Fratin said Thursday that the 15 EU countries calling for a
gas-price cap, led by Italy, have decided to reject the European
Commission's proposed cap mechanism.
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