“Matteo Renzi walks the road of Orbán; this too, shows the turn in Europe’s Russia-policy” – Minister of State for Government Communications András Giró-Szász told MTI on Friday.

“The fact that the Italian Prime Minister visited Moscow clearly refutes the news on the boycott of visits circulating in oppositional media” – Mr Giró-Szász said reflecting on the Moscow visit of Matteo Renzi. On Thursday, the Italian Prime Minister signed a cooperation agreement worth USD 1 billion with Russia, according to which an Italian-Russian fund will be established in order to enhance mutual investments in the two countries.

According to the Minister of State “this again clearly proves that in a stagnating Europe, cooperation along economic aspects can overwrite many things”. He found it important to emphasise that concerning the Ukrainian crisis the Italian Prime Minister represented the standpoint according to which all regions of Ukraine should function as autonomies, following the example of South Tirol.

(Prime Minister's Office, MTI)