Italy should make decision about Belt and Road out of its best interests

Italian and international media have reported that the Italian government is mulling exiting the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative which Italy joined during President Xi Jinping's visit to Italy in March 2019. Given the role I played in the signing of the memorandum of understanding between Rome and Beijing and my current involvement in this important issue, I think that these reports are not based on facts nor should they reflect the real intention or views of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The reality is much simpler: Prime Minister Meloni has not yet fully focused on the Belt and Road Initiative, because she has been preoccupied with other more pressing issues related to domestic politics as well as international crises, such as the Ukraine crisis, inflation, energy supply in Italy, the flow of migrants into Italy, a seasonal crisis that Italy faces every summer.

Meloni is an avid reader of reports, data and analyses, and she always makes decisions, not on whim, but after fully understanding the issues at hand, analyzing all the facts and taking into consideration all possible implications. She is a true politician and, as such, will make a decision purely based on what is best for our own country, Italy.