Premier Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday
dismissed talk that a letter she sent to European Commission
President Ursula von der Leyen about the EC's 2024 Report on the
Rule of Law was a sign of deteriorating relations with the EU
executive.
The letter complained about "fake news" in how the report was
covered in the media in relation to what it said about press
freedom in Italy.
"I do not see any negative repercussions for Italy, I do not
think that relations with the European Commission are getting
worse," Meloni told Italian reporters during her official visit
to Beijing.
"The letter that I sent is not a response to the European
Commission or to a moment of friction with the European
Commission.
"It is a common reflection on the manipulative use that has been
made of a technical document, in which, I am obliged to recall,
the critical tones are not those of the European Commission".
MEPs from Meloni's right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party
voted against a second-term for European Commission President
Ursula von der Leyen after the
Conservative ECR group it belongs to and which Meloni chairs was
left out of the negotiations for the EU top jobs.
She has said that she does not fear this will lead Italy's
member of the new Commission having a secondary role.
"I am talking with Ursula von der Leyen," Meloni said.
"We have time until 30 August for the names (of the new
Commissioner), it is one of the things I would like to deal with
as soon as I get back (from China).
"We clearly also need to make an assessment with the parties of
the ruling coalition, but, in short, it's one of the first
things I will deal with when I get back".
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