Come on, Safe. Zangrillo: “Investing in defence is essential”. And Mulè: “Reason prevails”

Antonio Tajani sprints ahead, outmanoeuvres his allies and secures €14.9 billion. Is Forza Italia ‘Forza Safe’? “I am in complete agreement that these resources should be allocated to defence, because defending our territory is the priority, the prerequisite for being able to consider everything else,” Paolo Zangrillo, Minister for Public Administration, tells Il Foglio. He is almost taken aback by the commotion and the political controversy – even on the right – sparked by the words of the Forza Italia leader. Because, he explains, “this is a financial and technical decision”. Another member of Forza Italia, Giorgio Mulè, shares a similar view: “Tajani’s announcement? Positive. We’re talking about a tool that helps, in a cost-effective way, to manage defence investments. Reason prevails.” And then, as Undersecretary of Defence Matteo Perego points out: “Without adding any new expenditure to the budget.”

In supporting the line set out yesterday by Tajani before the joint Foreign Affairs and Defence Committees – which even took Defence Minister Guido Crosetto by surprise – Zangrillo begins with an observation: “It is absolutely essential to talk about internal security, particularly in light of the events of recent days, from Bologna to the No Tav protests. But to safeguard the home front, we must first and foremost be able to defend our external interests. ‘That is the prerequisite for everything else,’ he reiterates in an interview with Il Foglio. ‘When it comes to defence, we can no longer depend on others; I am thinking above all of the United States, which has made it clear to us that we must start taking responsibility for ourselves.’ In this regard, SAFE can lend a hand. “It is a mechanism that Europe makes available for expenditure on the joint procurement of military and defence systems. But I repeat: it is a technical and financial decision. European funding is preferred, with interest rates that could be more favourable than other types of debt.”

Undersecretary Matteo Perego is taking a similar line, seeking to allay tensions: “SAFE simply represents a possible tool through which to finance capacity-building investments in defence and security, without adding new expenditure to the budget. For this reason, its actual cost-effectiveness will be assessed from both a technical and financial perspective”. Minister Zangrillo further observes and clarifies: “What must be clear is that, by joining SAFE, there is no new political assessment; we are not rethinking military investments. We have set a budget; we are now assessing whether to finance it through the 14.9 billion available under this European instrument. Incidentally, this is the total amount we can draw upon, but that does not necessarily mean we will spend it all. Minister Crosetto, together with the government, will decide on this by the end of the year.”

Among Forza Italia members, Giorgio Mulè is also in favour of SAFE. For the Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, “it would be a positive choice – one of a technical nature, even before it is a political one. After all, this is what we have been saying for some time, in the manner that sets us apart. It is pointless to oppose SAFE, branding it as the devil’s dung. It can be a cost-effective tool. But finally, compared to those senseless outbursts heard on the left – from the M5S to AVS, and to some extent from the PD – reason is prevailing over propaganda.” Even on the right, however, there are various nuances; the Lega did not take Tajani’s departure very well. Meanwhile, General Vannacci says “enough of the Draghi agenda” and promises a fight. “Over there,” smiles Mulè, “a rather colourful race is underway; Futuro Nazionale is all smoke and no fire.” In any case, it will have to go through Parliament; it’s not certain that everything will run smoothly, especially these days. “I believe there won’t be any problems from the majority,” concludes Zangrillo, optimistically. “I would, however, like to see someone in the opposition, on such an important issue, start to send out some sensible signals by supporting these decisions.”