Opposition parties are demanding explanations from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni regarding statements made by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who emphasized European support for US military operations against Iran in an interview with Fox News.
Rutte noted that thousands of flights were conducted from European bases to support the mission, citing Italy as an example: “I fully understand the disappointment, but if you take, for example, Italy, 500 American aircraft took off from American bases on its territory to support the operation. So, this is a significant number.” The NATO Secretary General’s remarks provoked a strong reaction from the Italian opposition.
Harsh reaction from opposition leaders
Giuseppe Provenzano, a representative of the Pd party responsible for foreign relations, stated: “According to Rutte, the bases in Italy ‘played a huge role’ in supporting Trump’s and Netanyahu’s illegal war against Iran, which contradicts our principles and interests.” He added that Giorgia Meloni had assured that Italy would not participate, but it is now known that at least 500 American aircraft allegedly took off from Italian territory. This confirms the concerns expressed in parliament, to which the government responded only with vague assurances. Provenzano demanded: “The Italian government, and above all the head of the Council of Ministers, are obliged to urgently clarify these serious statements.”
President of M5S Giuseppe Conte emphasized that “the government’s fairy tales and its trumpeters are crumbling.” According to him, Rutte’s words confirm what they have always claimed: Trump’s actions are “just a wake-up call for the government, which has always said ‘yes.'” Conte mentioned the 500 aircraft that flew from Italy for “an illegitimate war against Iran, into which Netanyahu dragged Trump, and which severely damaged the Italian economy.”
Leader of the Alleanza Verdi e Sinistra faction Peppe De Cristofaro demands that the government “appear in parliament to explain whether what was stated by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is true.” He recalled that Giorgia Meloni had repeatedly stated that Italy is not at war, has no intention of participating in direct offensive actions, and that the use of its facilities is limited to agreed purposes involving only logistical and defensive support. “Today we learn from NATO Secretary Rutte that this is not true,” De Cristofaro emphasized.
Position of the Italian Ministry of Defense
Subsequently, the Italian Ministry of Defense intervened, explaining that “only actions of a technical and logistical nature were permitted, without the use of weapons, within the procedures provided by the current agreements.” The Ministry emphasized that in cases where requests exceeded these limits, Italy did not grant permission. It was also noted that “it would have been enough to study the source in more detail to get a real idea of what happened and what happens daily.” The department expressed surprise that “the NATO Secretary, who has no relation to the Epic Fury operation, gives an interpretation that spreads absolutely false information, confusing the types of permitted flights.” The Ministry reiterated that Italy only allows flights as specified in the agreements, which completely exclude kinetic actions, as has always been and will be according to the current agreements.
Source: La Repubblica