Italy: without government, but with gas 

When this forum was conceived, and its dates were determined, it was not yet known that Italy would not have time to form a government, because the elections were on March 4.

The right-wing "League" Matteo Salvini and the populist movement "5 stars" Luigi Di Maio are trying to negotiate. They have already formed a joint program-agreement, one of the points of which is "try to cancel sanctions against Russia".

But they can not agree who will be the Prime Minister. If this does not happen, then President Sergio Mattarella will appoint a technical government before the early elections, and Italy will again have to choose members of parliament.

President of Italy Sergio Mattarella, photo WEB

A few days ago, Silvio Berlusconi was allowed to be elected to the government, because the chances have grown both him and his party "Forza Italia!", although the figures of Matteo Salvini can not be reached. However, if Italy voted tomorrow, under the same electoral laws and political forces, it is very likely that the center-right bloc would score 40% (in the last elections on March 4, it gained more and more 37%), which would give "a majority award " and form the government itself.

In such complex and unclear political conditions, a forum was organized by Stefano Maullu, a European deputy from the party "Forza Italia!". He is a member of the delegation on relations between the EU and Russia in the European Parliament. "The centuries-old ties between Italy and Russia must be realized. Relations with Russia need to be strengthened, Moscow should be considered a strategic partner, the main ally of Italy and the whole of Europe", Maullu said opening the Forum.

Vladislav Maslennikov (left) and Stefano Maullu (right), photo © Evgeny Utkin

"From 2014 to the present, after the introduction of economic sanctions against Russia, Italian-Russian exports have lost from 2 to 4 billion a year, in common 10 billion", said Stefano Maullu. And, of course, "absurd sanctions against Russia should be canceled", he said. With this, no oneargued in the hall, neither politicians, nor businessmen, who also suffered from sanctions.

Maullu invited his colleagues at the Forum, European Deputies from Latvia and Estonia, Andrejs Mamikins and Yana Toom, who stressed that "Italy has more dialogue with Russia than the Baltic countries". Gianluca Savoini, president of the Lombardy-Russia Association, described how often the image of Russia is biased to negative side in Europe and Italy.

Andrejs Mamikins (left) and Yana Toom (right), photo © Evgeny Utkin, WEB

"Cooperation between Italy and Russia is crucial, we must fully support the dialogue", said Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Sergei Zheleznyak, speaking at the Forum via Skype: "Unfortunately, today's decisions on Italian-Russian relations are not made in Rome, but in Brussels or Washington. All this is counterproductive, because Italy has its sovereignty and should be able to decide independently. "

Vladislav Maslennikov, Deputy Director of the European Cooperation Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted "Italy's constructive approach in relations with Russia" and expressed the hope that it will continue for a long time. And, of course, it's better not to talk about Russia, but with Russia, and this Forum is a positive example, he stressed.

Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Sergei Zheleznyak, photo WEB

The Ambassador of Italy in Moscow Pasquale Terracciano took part in the Forum via video link from Moscow. He expressed the hope that the relations between Italy and Russia could reach a new stage of normalization, and spoke about new opportunities for Italian companies, about the transition from Made in Italy to Made with Italy.

Pier Paolo Celeste, director of the ICE agency in Moscow, also spoke about improving economic relations: "The trade turnover between Italy and Russia in the beginning of 2018 grew significantly, especially in the food sector (+ 19%), and in the furniture sector and finishing of buildings (+ 31%) ". According to him, "in the first two months of 2018 Russia imported Italian goods for 825 thousand euros each hour" and "Italian companies have shown that they are able to adapt to the complexity of the current situation."

Pier Paolo Celeste, director of the ICE agency in Moscow, photo WEB

The topic was started by Armando Ambrosio, a representative of the law firm De Berti Jacchia: "In Russia there is a real Copernican revolution. The country tried to turn sanctions into a precious opportunity for the development of the domestic market, local production. And we should try to use the favorable legal aspect: Russian rules want Italian entrepreneurs to go to Russia and develop their own business there. "

A lot of time was devoted to the energy cooperation between the two countries. Valeria Termini, a professor of geopolitics at Rome University-3, said that until 2012, Algeria was the main exporter of gas in Italy. Then, because of the events in North Africa, Russia gradually took first place, with a share of about 40%, because it offers gas at competitive prices and is a reliable supplier.

Sergio Askari (left), Nicola Pedde (center) and Valeria Termini (right), photo © Evgeny Utkin

And Italy is the second buyer of Russian gas in Europe, after Germany. Sergey Colin, representative of Gazprom Italy, said that the consumption of gas in Europe is growing, despite the development of renewable energy sources, domestic production continues to decline (for example, in the Netherlands), and therefore the Russian Gazprom delivers to Europe more and more gas.

Deliveries by Europe’s major exporters and producers, bcm, source PJSC Gazprom, Eurostat, National Statistics, IEA

Absolute record was broken in 2017 - Gazprom sold to Europe 194.4 bcm. gas, and this year already were broken daily records of gas supplies. And gas can be an economical fuel not only for heating residential premises or cooking, but for transport. And here Italy is one of the European leaders.

European Gas Consumption, bcm, source IEA, Eurostat, National Statistics, IHS Markit

Prof. Sergio Ascari (Florence School of Regulations) stressed that gas is not only an environmentally friendly source of energy, but also cheap, especially when stored: "storing gas costs 1/1000 storage of electrical energy". "American shale gas costs twice as much as Russia's. Like California wine here. Not bad, but much more expensive than the same quality of Italian wine", Askari believes that there is no alternative to Russian gas.

And about sanctions and their cancel - we must wait for the new Italian government. But, in any case, both Italians and Russians, as this Forum has shown, have learned how to work under sanctions. Если у вас возникла тяга насладиться нереальным интим досугом, вас обязательно привлекут красивые проститутки Тюмени . Вы можете подобрать индивидуалок по внушительному списку параметров, выбирая их рост, размер бюста, а также район!

Evgeny Utkin, Milan, Italy

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