“The Safe? Italy wants to shoulder its responsibilities. We won’t be cutting welfare.” Says Rauti (FdI)

Isabella Rauti, the FdI-appointed Under-Secretary of State for Defence, assures us: “Italy and Europe want to shoulder their responsibilities”. The daughter of the historic MSI secretary Pino Rauti speaks to Il Foglio and comments on the SAFE initiative. She attempts to clarify matters following Antonio Tajani’s initial move – his ‘leap forward’ – regarding European loans for defence and security. What is the situation? “Let’s take it one step at a time,” says Rauti, who begins with a technical clarification. “Italy has expressed interest in 14.9 billion; this is a loan that can be repaid over the long term, within a maximum of 45 years. It is a long repayment period, with a favourable interest rate, but also with all the bureaucratic drawbacks and constraints on choice imposed by the other European partners. The SAFE programme, in fact, sets out certain requirements.” Which ones? “The submission of a national defence investment plan, joint procurement with another Member State, and that 65 per cent of the value of the components of the final product purchased must originate within the EU. It is also an economic alternative to BOTs and CCTs. We are assessing the costs and benefits, but also the critical issues.” These are the very issues that are prompting the League, in particular, to express a certain scepticism. Will it be possible to reach a consensus in Parliament? “Whether to join SAFE and to what extent will be decided by the end of the year. It is a technical decision, not a political one. To be clear,” explains the Under-Secretary, referring to Giorgetti’s announcements next week, “the political decision will concern the budgetary deviation in relation to defence and energy expenditure.”

For months, Donald Trump’s United States has been sending messages to Europe: take responsibility for yourselves. Has that moment arrived? “Italy and the EU want to assume their defence and security responsibilities. But not in response to anyone’s messages, rather to continue contributing to the Alliance without depending on anyone,” replies Rauti. “We are living in times of pervasive global instability, and Europe must ensure its own security. Italy is working towards this goal, to strengthen NATO’s European pillar, in the knowledge that the security of the Old Continent is built together with allies and partners who share the same values and strategic interests.” For the FdI senator, therefore, “the model is that of an integrated and interoperable European defence, within the framework of NATO, with the aim of maximum deterrence”. And in this sense, SAFE could prove useful. Not all of the 14.9 billion ‘earmarked’ will necessarily have to be used. Does the government already have any estimates? “The estimate is obviously contingent on the ‘key decision’ of whether to access the funding,” emphasises Rauti, suggesting that further discussion is still required. “But at present, it has already been made clear that our country would, if necessary, request a percentage of less than half the envisaged ceiling.”

Those opposed to Safe argue that defence funding should be taken from other areas of expenditure. “I wish to make it clear once again that the government has no intention whatsoever of cutting welfare to fund defence and security expenditure: the resources would be drawn from the budgets already allocated to Defence and would be used according to the needs or emergencies of the moment.” What might the priorities be? “One thing is clear above all else: we must adapt the country’s defence capabilities to hybrid and increasingly sophisticated threats.”

The M5S and AVS are opposed to SAFE, as are sections of the PD. They argue that SAFE is virtually synonymous with rearmament. They also oppose the increase in military spending to 5 per cent of GDP and, furthermore, claim that many of the resources will not go towards joint European projects, but will instead enrich the American or Israeli defence industries. “Given that the opposition parties do not see eye to eye on anything – as confirmed, most recently, by the numerous motions tabled in the Chamber of Deputies ahead of last Tuesday’s vote on international missions – they are wrong on this point too,” retorts Rauti. Where does the error lie? “As set out in the Safe Regulation, the cost of components sourced from outside the EU, EFTA-SEE states and Ukraine may not exceed 35 per cent of the estimated cost of the components of the final product. Furthermore, only the following non-EU countries may participate in the project: Albania, Canada, South Korea, Japan, India, North Macedonia, Moldova, Norway and the United Kingdom.” Before concluding, Rauti is keen to emphasise one final point: “I would point out that it was Italy that requested the name be changed from ‘RearmEu’ to ‘Readiness’, and this is not merely a matter of semantics but of substance.”