The leader of Italian right-wing party Lega told AGI the European Union is “blackmailing” Italy and “betraying” Italian citizens’ dreams. Matteo Salvini lashed out against the bloc after EU leaders were forced to extend the budget summit in Brussels for a fourth day to come to an agreement on the coronavirus recovery fund. He said: “This EU betrays our fathers’ dream.
“It is only a business bank where few earn and many lose, Italy above all.
“We paid more than 200 billion to get little or nothing back, while others speed ahead: for example, Great Britain (without waiting for Brussels) gave 10,000 to 25,000 pounds for every shop, business, restaurant and hotel.
“Not to mention that, on immigration, Italy has once again become the “refugee camp” for all of Europe.
“What’s the point in continuing to pay to be blackmailed and made fun of?”
READ MORE Merkel slammed for ‘refusing to learn Brexit lesson’
Signs emerged that leaders of northern European Union countries were willing to compromise on a 1.8 trillion euro coronavirus stimulus plan on Monday as talks in Brussels extended to a fourth day.
Divided and slow to respond at the start of the coronavirus outbreak in Europe, EU leaders believe they now have a chance to redeem themselves with an aid plan that would show Europeans the bloc can react to a crisis.
But old grievances between countries less affected by the pandemic and the indebted countries of Italy and Greece, whose economies are in freefall, have resurfaced, pitting Rome against The Hague and its allies in Stockholm, Copenhagen and Vienna.
With leaders not expected to restart until 1400 GMT, much rested on European Council President Charles Michel’s efforts to present a new basis for a deal, taking into account the competing demands of north and southern Europe.
“An agreement is a necessity”, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told French BFM TV on Monday as weary diplomats slept or prepared for another day in what could be the longest-ever EU summit.
In the small hours of Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron lost patience with the “sterile blockages” of the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Austria, later joined by Finland, banging his fist on the table, one diplomat said.
Another diplomat confirmed the outburst, saying tensions rose until Belgium’s Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes called for calm.
Michel earlier urged the 27 leaders to achieve “mission impossible”, reminding them that more than 600,000 people had now died from COVID-19 around the world.
That appeared to edge towards a potential breakthrough.
DON’T MISS:
EU talks descend into chaos: Furious Italian PM condemns Dutch leader [INSIGHT]
EU members revolt against paying Brussels’ no-deal crisis fund [ANALYSIS]
End of the EU? Coronavirus rescue package reveals deep ‘divisions’ [VIDEO]
“We are not there yet, things can still fall apart. But it looks a bit more hopeful than at the times where I thought last night that it was over,” Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said.
Within the 750 billion euro recovery fund, 390 billion euros could be considered as non-repayable grants, diplomats said, a compromise between the 350 billion level of the five “frugals” and the 400 billion euros demanded by France and Germany.
There was no immediate clarity on whether a deal was in the making, but Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz told ORF radio he was satisfied with the negotiations.
“It was definitely the best decision that the group of the frugals…has been formed,” Kurz said. “There were the four of us, now there are five of us. These are all small countries, which alone would have no weight at all.”