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Controversy in Italy over Russian "interference" in view of the elections

2022-08-19T10:00:17.772Z


The statements of former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who on Thursday August 18 called on Europeans to “punish” their “stupid” governments, have...


The statements of former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who on Thursday August 18 called on Europeans to "

punish

" their "

stupid

" governments, sparked controversy in Italy, in the midst of the electoral campaign for the legislative elections of September 25.

Italy, under the leadership of outgoing Prime Minister Mario Draghi, has so far unreservedly supported Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion, providing it with arms and humanitarian aid.

A position that could change if the coalition of the rights, more Russophile and given favorite in the polls, comes to power.

"Changing the position of Italian foreign policy"

"

Russian interference

", denounced Thursday on the front page of the left-wing newspaper

La Repubblica

.

"

Moscow, interference in the elections

", headlines the daily Il Messaggero, while

Il Corriere della Ser

noted that "

Russia disrupts the Italian elections

".

In a long post published Thursday on the Telegram messenger, Dmitry Medvedev wrote: "

We would like to see European citizens not only being indignant at the actions of their governments (...) but to hold them to account and punish them for their stupidities. obvious

".

Act now, European neighbours!

Don't stay silent!

Ask for accounts!

he continues.

These comments aroused the indignation of Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, who denounced “

Russian interference in the Italian elections

”.

"

The Italian parties should react in unison, but (the leader of the 5 Star Movement and ex-Prime Minister Giuseppe) Conte and (the leader of the far-right League Matteo) Salvini are silent

," he said. added.

For the leader of the Democratic Party (PD, left) Enrico Letta, Moscow is trying to "

change the position of Italian foreign policy which from the beginning has been very clear alongside the EU and NATO

", he said. he denounced on Thursday.

We have to reconfirm this choice.

It is clear that the election of September 25 will also be about this

".

He also demanded that the League denounce the pact it had signed with United Russia, the party of Vladimir Putin.

Read alsoItaly: the right on track to win the 2023 elections

Matteo Salvini, who had considered going to Moscow after the start of the Russian invasion before giving up, defended himself on Friday: "

I have not been going to Russia for years (...) Russia has not least influence on the Italian elections

".

Dmitry Medvedev, who was president from 2008 to 2012, then prime minister from 2012 to 2020, is currently vice-president of the Russian Security Council, but the general opinion is that he has little influence on Russian political life.

His statements nonetheless hit the bull's eye.

SEE ALSO

- Giorgia Meloni, Italian far-right leader, says that "fascism belongs to history"

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2022-08-19

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