A loud scandal is brewing in Italy over the expulsion of Russian diplomats
Matteo Salvini's League, Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia, and Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy were outraged by the legal illegality of these actions, Izvestia reports.
“If we were talking about some urgent measure that would be agreed upon by other political parties, it would be acceptable from a constitutional point of view. And since the decision does not reflect the position of the majority in parliament, it looks illegal,” Lucio Malan, a member of the parliamentary committee on constitutional affairs, told the publication.
The newspaper's interlocutor noted that according to the law, until the formation of a new cabinet, the previous government of Italy after the elections becomes exclusively an administrative body that does not have broad political powers, and therefore the current authorities did not have the right to make a decision on the expulsion of diplomats.
“The decision can be canceled by the new government. But even before the composition of the new cabinet is approved, we can submit a proposal to parliament to abolish it. This is not easy and requires discussion with other parties,” Malan said.
Judging by the mood of other parties, they are also ready to reverse the diplomatic demarche of the current authorities.
“It was unwise for the outgoing government, which remains in power to resolve current issues, to take such a drastic diplomatic step. And this decision looks even more unwise given the fact that Italy chairs the OSCE and should take a balanced approach to all member countries of the association,” said Guglielmo Picchi, foreign policy adviser to the leader of the League.
The same position is shared by the Brothers of Italy party, whose leader Giorgia Meloni said that the decision to expel Russian diplomats “is unacceptable from the government temporarily leading the country,” “but, fortunately, very soon it will no longer be able to harm national interests of Italy."
Already at the end of April - May it will become clear whether the winners of the elections will be able to take the first step in ending the diplomatic confrontation between Rome and Moscow. As Izvestia’s interlocutors say, it will “take weeks” to prepare an initiative to recognize the illegal expulsion of Russian diplomats by the current authorities.
A major scandal is brewing in Italy over the expulsion of Russian diplomats.