Brussels: Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called today for preserving European Union unity and implementing reforms within the regional bloc. In remarks on the sidelines of the European People's Party's preliminary summit in Brussels, Tajani emphasized that the European Union must "move forward in managing migration and defense policies," highlighting the importance of a cohesive Europe, "because its strength lies in its unity."
According to Qatar News Agency, Tajani explained that when each European country pursues its own path, it does not benefit the European Union. He stressed the necessity of reforms to enhance the EU's structure and resilience. Tajani also mentioned that Italy plans to increase its defense spending after overcoming current economic deficit challenges. He noted that Italy "intends to exit the excessive deficit measures before assessing the extent to which available forms of flexibility to increase defense spending, such as the national guarantee clause, are used, with the goal of reaching 5% of GDP over a decade."
Tajani argued that exiting the excessive deficit measures is the correct course of action. Given the flexibility to achieve the target of spending 5% of GDP annually on defense and security over ten years, and considering that the required amount is not fixed each year, the government will decide on the utilization of the national guarantee clause.
NATO member states agreed to increase their defense spending to 5% by 2035.