MILAN - Along with the approval of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, the decision to oppose the doubling of the Nord Stream pipeline has been one of the few positions Italy had taken according to the policy of gas supplies diversification the European Commission has conceived to decrease EU energy dependence on Russia. However, Italy is still far from being a country fully aware of the risks tied to Europe's high energy dependence on Russia.
In the beginning of December, Italy blocked the extension of EU sanctions on Russia over illegal occupation of Crimea and Donbas. This was aimed to oppose Germany in its effort to push for the extension of Nord Stream, a pipeline planned to carry 55 bcm of Russian natural gas from Russia to Germany, both increasing the quantity of gas the EU imports from Russia and bypassing EU member states of Central Eastern Europe in so doing.
Though the EU member states of Central Eastern Europe, headed by Polish President Andrzej Duda, strongly opposed the doubling of Nord Stream, eventually considered a project that weakens Europe and breaks EU internal solidarity, Italy's opposition to Nord Stream is motivated by the disappointment Rome still has regarding the decision of the European Commission to block the Southstream pipeline in 2012.
South Stream was conceived by Russia in partnership with Italy and other EU member states as Austria, Greece, Slovenia, Bulgaria and eventually Hungary to increase EU energy dependence on Russia by pumping 63 bcm of Russian gas from Russia to Bulgaria, Greece, the Balkans and Italy.
The South Stream was blocked by the European Commission amid incompatibility with the EU Third Energy Package, a EU law that does not allow extra-EU energy majors to control both pipelines and gas supplies. Gazprom, the Russian national energy major, was intended to control both the pipelines and gas supplies with respect to both South Stream and Nord Stream.
However, it is incorrect to consider the PM of Italy Matteo Renzi as a pro-Russian politician. In several occasions, Mr. Renzi proved himself to be very critic of both the Russia's poor record with respect to democracy and human rights and Russian bellicose behavior in former USSR.
During his first official visit to Russia, Mr. Renzi, as few other PM of EU member states did, publicly paid tribute to the memory of Boris Nemtsov, a Russian dissident killed some days before. Mr. Renzi also gave green light to a mission the Vice President of the European Parliament Gianni Pittella organized to Ukraine to give support to both the Revolution of Dignity and jailed Ukrainian dissidents as Yulia Tymoshenko.
On the other hand, by inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin to the 2015 Milan Expo, Mr. Renzi was the first western leader to hold a public meeting with the Russian President since sanctions entered in force. In so doing, Mr. Renzi broke the international isolation the west managed towards Mr. Putin amid the lack of respect of the Minsk agreements.
So, by opposing Nord Stream 2 Italy did not oppose Russian energy offensive towards Europe, but simply aimed to ensure its own energy business with Russia. In fact, Italy's foreign and energy policy are deeply influenced by ENI, the Italian largest energy concern which is deeply tied with Gazprom and has a huge influence on both the Italian Government and the Italian parliament.
The true allies to Putin in Italy
However, the situation in Italy could be even worst whether a different Government than the one of Mr. Renzi and his center-left Democratic Party -PD- would rule the country. The Northern League, a far-right movement and the main party of the opposition, openly advocates Russian interest in Italy by opposing sanctions on Russia and urging Italy to recognize the annexation of Crimea.
The Northern League, whose leader Matteo Salvini openly supports the Eurasian doctrine of Alexander Dugin – a Nazi-Bolshevik adviser to Mr. Putin on foreign affairs who argues Europe must become a province of a Greater Russia – keeps strong ties with the Kremlin through several cultural associations that act to spread Russian propaganda within the Italian society.
The main rival of Mr. Renzi's PD, the populist Five Star Movement headed by a former comedian, Beppe Grillo, also supports Russian propaganda by accusing Ukrainians to be Nazis and urging the Italian Government to shut down sanctions on Russia over war with Ukraine.
The Five Star Movement also opposes the realization of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) a project that Mr. Renzi approved according to the policy of energy diversification of the European Commission aimed to import natural gas from Azerbaijan and other gas suppliers alternative to Russia.
Other important pro-Russian parties within the Italian politics are the Go Italy Party of former PM Silvio Berlusconi, who is tied to Mr. Putin with a personal friendship that eventually led Italy to agree with Russia on the realization of South Stream – and the far right wing Brothers of Italy Party, which often caucuses with the Northern League.
The far left Left, Ecology and Freedom party, headed by Nichi Vendola, the former Governor of Apulia, the Italian region where the TAP pipeline should carry gas from Azerbaijan, opposes the energy policy of Mr. Renzi and argues the need of a dialogue with Russia to counterbalance the alliance of Italy with the United States.
The Government of Mr. Renzi is the best solution for Europe and Ukraine
Russia is also quite popular within the Italian society, where anti-Americanism, the legacy of Mr. Berlusconi and the communist ideology are still so strong that the majority of Italians believe that Mr. Putin is the lone world leader who could save Europe from ISIL and other threats.
Therefore, even if Mr. Renzi does not criticize nor oppose Russia, the ruling Italian team is the best solution with respect to foreign and energy policy Europe and the Transatlantic community could expect from a traditional pro-Russian country.
In addition to a too weak support to Ukraine, Mr. Renzi also maintains great relationships with the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, and openly supports Israel in its efforts to preserve democracy in the Middle East.
Matteo Cazzulani
Strategy XXI
@MatteoCazzulani
