European Commission, Renzi: “First we need to agree on the things to do, then on names” (Video)

He did not come for talking about names: the discussion will take place for sure, yet “it will come after an agreement on the things we have to do.” Matteo Renzi is back in Brussels, reinforced by the extraordinary success at the election, which will allow him to hand out the hat and require top position for Italy. Still, this is not the right moment: now “we need Europe to be more focused on investments for education, technological infrastructures and families’ daily life.” That is, “first there are the things we need to do, then the names,” reassured the Prime Minister.

In Brussels for attending the informal dinner in which Heads of State or Government will discuss the results Of the European election, Renzi should have attended, as per agenda, the PES meeting which is usually held before any of these summits. Yet Renzi was not there, and the fact opened several interpretations.

According to the official version, there wasn’t enough time for attending.  Renzi left Palazzo Chigi few minutes after 3pm, and before his arrival at the Justus Lipsius he decided to pay homage to the victims of the attack to the Jewish Museum in Brussles. There he met the French President, François Hollande, and the Belgian PM, Elio Di Rupo: it would have been impossible for him to go the the PES meeting. Moreover, it would have been useless, given that he sent Roberto Gualtieri, Democratic Party MEP, to the summit. This is the official version. Actually  he would have had time at least to go as say hi – quite difficult then not to consider this event as a precise choice.

Renzi was one of the first to arrive at the Council Palace. “I’m here for representing Italy, I’m representing one of the biggest EU Member States, a country which wants to discuss about the issues on the table, peremptorily and resolutely,” he said at his arrival. Among the issues, said Renzi, the need of “leading Europe to talk the language of its citizens. This,” he added, “is what we are interested in, this is what we are going to do.”