The Italians, and a social Democrat, Sandro Gozi, was Secretary of state for European Affairs in the government of Matteo Renzi and Paolo Gentiloni. Gozi has recently been elected President of the Union of European Federalists elected.
TIME ONLINE: In the relationship between Europe and Italy, something is wrong. Will this be permanent or do we only experience a relationship crisis?
Sandro Gozi: I hope that it is a crisis that we can overcome. The ratio is currently disturbed, because the Italian government is always the enemy builds images. The EU is the main target of their Propaganda. This has created a bad atmosphere between Brussels and Rome and also between Paris and Rome and Berlin and Rome. The Italian government is trying to the Public that is already disillusioned with the EU, against the EU.
But the even bigger Problem is the concrete decisions of the government, the last one submitted to the state budget. I would like to believe that the Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, his Lega, and the coalition partner, M5S Italy do not want to lead from the Euro. But I wonder seriously whether this is really so. If you look at the submitted Budget, you can get doubt. It is a violation of all agreements.
TIME ONLINE: do you think that the Lega-and-M5S-government of Italy, culpability, intentionally and from the Euro area wants to lead?
Gozi: Important politicians of the Lega as well as M5S have always wanted to get out of the Euro, and they still do it. The official line from the government is that Italy should remain in the Euro, but there is a big contradiction between what you say and what you do. It also looks at other examples, such as in the case of Migration. In the EU, it is understood, meanwhile, that Italy can’t be left alone. The government could seize this Moment and to the top of the change in European migration policy.
but she is doing the opposite, it begins with all of the key neighbours in dispute, with France, with Spain, with Malta. The government parties reject the UN-migration Pact, although those issues can be fought and treated, for almost all Italian parties in the last few years. Italy today operates a policy of Isolation. This is not good for Italy, and not good for Europe.
TIME ONLINE: The Italians were over many decades has convinced EU supporter. This has not changed, the EU is in Italy, especially popular. This development began long before the new government took office. How do you explain that?
Gozi: The Italians do not believe that the path that was chosen to come out of the Euro crisis, for Italy the right. I’m not saying that’s not true. This is the perception in the Public. The Euro crisis is associated with a name: Wolfgang Schäuble. The Italians believe that they themselves have come through the crisis without assistance from the EU, because they were not made in Greece under supervision. And you believe that you have paid for because of the financial crisis-initiated social reforms too high a price. The causes of this can be seen in the decisions of the EU, which is determined by Germany. But as I said: That is the perception.
TIME ONLINE: Has the Migration of the Italians from the EU alienated?
Gozi: Yes, the Italians felt, especially in the year 2014 alone, the number of refugees coming across the Mediterranean sea, to rise sharply. The EU has been much too slow in the development of a new policy on migration. This is not just a perception, that is, I believe, a fact. The Italians say today: We have done so much to help Europe, but now, because we need Europe, they punish us. The current government is doing everything it can to reinforce this feeling.
There are, of course, also domestic political reasons that explain the disappointment. For example, we have a Problem with corruption. The previous governments have high expectations, and many of them have been disappointed. The home-made problems, we should not deny it.
Zeit ONLINE: How will the behaviour of the EU and the Italian government now?
Gozi: you must not give in – anything else would encourage this government only, your game further.
TIME ONLINE: Apparently, the pressure that the EU exerts has worked. The government in Rome has promised, a new draft budget to be presented.
Gozi: we should be on concrete actions, until it is just words.
