Meloni telephones Giorgetti regarding the matter of her missing signature on the aid package for Kyiv. Crosetto: “There will be no surprises”

Giancarlo Giorgetti’s failure to sign off on the thirteenth package of military supplies to Ukraine was solely due to his absence from Rome. As ANSA has learnt from reliable government sources, the Minister for the Economy himself clarified this yesterday evening in a telephone call with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. As this is a classified document, it is explained, Giorgetti – who was in Brussels yesterday for the Eurogroup and Ecofin meetings – would not have been able to read and sign the interministerial decree remotely. The ministerial decree was therefore not ‘stamped’ by the minister based at Viale XX Settembre because, as it is a classified document, a digital signature cannot be applied. 

The aid package for Kyiv, which will be outlined today at Copasir by the Minister of Defence, Guido Crosetto, who earlier today played down the ‘mystery’ surrounding Giorgetti’s missing signature: ‘He was away and, incidentally, unwell. I don’t think there will be any surprises,’ he said.  “This afternoon’s meeting at Copasir is a formality; authorisation is granted by Parliament at the start of the year and, following notification to Copasir, the aid can be disbursed. This procedure was not introduced by this government, but by previous ones,” the Defence Minister pointed out. 

The case of the missing signature began last night on television, when Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani announced that he had “signed, together with Minister Crosetto and Minister Giorgetti, the decision to send the thirteenth package of military aid to support Kyiv”. Shortly afterwards, sources within the Lega clarified that the Minister for the Economy had not signed the thirteenth aid package for Ukraine precisely because he was not in Rome but in Brussels.

In recent days, incidentally, Matteo Salvini had already reiterated his opposition to the measure. And his loyal supporters within the Carroccio are no different. “Let’s just say that coming to present a decree to Copasir that doesn’t exist (because a piece of legislation requiring consultation with various ministers doesn’t exist until it has been signed by them)... is, how shall I put it...”, commented Lega Senator Claudio Borghi, a member of Copasir. Later, he tweeted again: “Ah, we’ve moved from ‘he has signed’ to ‘he will sign’… very well. No, because Giorgetti’s signature on this decree is technical, not political, and you never know whether there might be any objections. As for the political aspect, we’ll discuss it in the Chamber when the time comes.” 

For his part, Tajani sought to calm the situation. “There is no mystery and no storm,” he said this morning on Radio Anch’io. “The package on sending arms to Kyiv – which, as it is a classified document, must be signed in person – has already been signed by Crosetto and myself, and has been stamped by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Minister Giorgetti, who supports the measure, was in Brussels yesterday and was unable to sign it in person. As soon as he arrives in Rome, he will sign it,” said the Deputy Prime Minister, also assuring that Italy will continue “to support Ukraine in the hope that peace will be achieved soon”.