WATCH OUT EU: Salvini reveals list of demands to Brussels as he threatens to veto EU plans
ITALY's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini warned he will exercise his right to veto EU decisions unless Brussels agrees to compromise on a list of key demands.
Salvini claims to produce new sanctions by the year's end
Speaking to Aljazeera, the eurosceptic Interior Minister pledged to "convince" Brussels to cave into his demands on immigration, economic sanctions on Russia and future trade agreements.
Mr Salvini warned Italy will be prepared to veto any future decisions that will not be taken in the interests of its economic future.
He said: “We have put many issues on Brussels’ table to be discussed in the coming months.
“On the economy, agriculture, trade agreements, immigration and Russia.
“We aim at working in the next few weeks towards a mutual agreement.
“But if we are forced to veto decisions as our last resource, we will.
“We want to try to convince Brussels first. If we can’t convince them we will resort to a different strategy.”
Asked why he insists economic sanctions on Russia by both the EU and the USA should be lifted, he replied: “Because problems are not solved with conflicts, whether it is with tanks or economic sanctions.
If we are forced to veto decisions as our last resource, we will
“They are solved with dialogue, so I think a dialogue between Europe, the United States and Russia is fundamental.
“Russia has been a protagonist in the war on terrorism and towards the peacemaking in some parts of the world.
“So I don’t think it is useful for anyone to leave Russia at the margins.
“Putin is not the world’s enemy right now.”
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Mr Salvini vowed he would work to ensure sanctions imposed by the EU after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 are lifted.
He claimed the strict trading sanctions on Russia are costing the Italian economy up to €7million per day.
The leading eurosceptic argued EU countries such as Germany advocating in favour of the sanctions against the Putin regime have benefitted economically since their implementation.
The League leader expressed his willingness to see Russia brought back into the “European family” and praised Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s Helsinki summit as a “wonderful start” to the process.