As the first stop on his “tour of Europe”, António Costa chose Rome to deepen relations. In a meeting with Meloni, Costa said he tried to understand the leader’s priorities in the EU.
The President-elect of the European Council, António Costa, was received on Monday by the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, the only European leader who voted against his appointment, in a meeting to “assess perspectives and priorities.”
The meeting between the former Portuguese Prime Minister and the head of the Italian government is also seen as an initiative to break the ice between Rome and Brussels.
It was a very good working meeting. For me, it is now important to assess what the perspectives and priorities of the various Member States are. and, since Italy is a founding country of the European Union (EU), it is important to know and take note of Prime Minister Meloni’s priorities,” Costa said in Rome, in a brief statement to the press in front of Palazzo Chigi, the seat of the Italian Government.
At the end of the meeting, which lasted about an hour, the Chigi Palace issued a press release reporting on the meeting, stressing that the President-elect of the European Council “chose Rome as the first stop on his tour of European capitals“.
Costa: “Building unity between countries will be my priority”
According to the Prime Minister’s office, Meloni “reiterated his best wishes and good work” to António Costa and “expressed his appreciation for the intention” of the former Portuguese Prime Minister to “ensure a shared and pragmatic leadership of the European Council.”
Also according to the Chigi Palace, “in The focus of the talks was on EU action priorities for the next institutional cycle.starting with the main scenarios of international crisis and the issues of competitiveness and the management of migration flows“.
“At the same time, the working methods of the European Council were discussed, with the aim of strengthening its role and effectiveness,” adds the note from Meloni’s office.
Held just four days after Ursula von der Leyen was re-elected as President of the European Commission for a new five-year term (2024-2029) – which was voted against by the delegation of the Brothers of Italy in the European Parliament (‘Fratelli d’Italia’), the post-fascist party led by Meloni – this “unexpected” meeting was highlighted by the Italian press, according to which the main objective was “to create the conditions for a first ‘thaw’ between Rome and Brussels”.
Recalling that Meloni was the only leader of the 27 Member States to vote against the elections for top EU officials at the European Council held on 27 June in Brussels, at which Von der Leyen (Commission), Costa (Council) and Prime Minister of Estonia (while resigning) Kaja Kallas (High Representative of the EU for Foreign Policy) were elected for the new institutional cycle —, the Italian press also noted that the meeting was an opportunity for the Prime Minister “eliminate the risk of isolating a government that voted against the three most senior EU officials“.
After Meloni’s vote against the European Council options (reinforced by her party’s delegation’s vote against Von der Leyen’s re-election last week in the European Parliament, in Strasbourg, France), the Italian Prime Minister justified her opposition by saying I do not agree with the “method and substance” of the process.after feeling excluded from important decisions following last month’s European elections.
At the time, António Costa said he understood Meloni’s political position and said he intended to work “closely” with the Italian prime minister, and his trip to Rome on Monday is part of this effort to bring positions closer together.
The advice [Europeu] It is not exactly an association of technocrats, but of politicians, all of whom have their political families, orientations and they also vote and demonstrate according to those preferences. I fully understand the vote of the Prime Minister of Italy.”I have a very close relationship with him,” said the former Prime Minister on 28 June, speaking to Portuguese journalists at the headquarters of the Party of European Socialists (PES) in Brussels.
António Costa is expected to take over as President of the European Council next December, succeeding Belgian Charles Michel.
Source: Observadora
