Bin Salman, “Renzi must now clarify relations with the Saudi prince. It is a national interest”. Pressing of M5s, Pd and Leu on the leader of Italia Viva

And now Renzi will he say something? He will resign from the foundation from which he takes 80 thousand euros per year? The report of the Cia disclosed by the administration Biden who accuses of the heinous murder of Jamal Kashoggi the Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman inevitably rekindles the internal political controversy over the leader’s performance Italy Viva in Arabia Saudi, where a few weeks ago he acted as anchorman for an interview with the heir to the throne, talking about “a new renaissance“.

Among the first to react last night, the deputy leader M5s in the Chamber Riccardo Ricciardi: “In the midst of the government crisis, I have well impressed the image of Matteo Renzi who converses with the Saudi prince, the very MbS who – according to the US intelligence report – would have approved the killing of Khashoggi in 2018. I find this disconcerting. Also during those days, the Farnesina decided to block the export of arms with Saudi Arabia. A choice that today, after learning about the US document, seems even more correct. Instead, we ask Renzi for the umpteenth time to shed light on his relations with Prince bin Salman ”. Shortly after, the former Pd minister joined Twitter Giuseppe Provenzano: “Renzi had said that after the crisis he would clarify his relations with Saudi Arabia and the ‘great crown prince’. He hasn’t said anything yet, but Joe Biden did. Clarifying now is not just a matter of opportunity, but of national interest“. A Tweet also relaunched by the MEP dem Brando Benifei.

Today the position has also arrived from the senator of + Europe Emma Bonino. The message to Renzi from the former foreign minister is implicit, but clear: “Fighting against impunity for Jamal’s murder also means not legitimizing the model of widespread repression against independent or dissident voices that has intensified since when Mohammed Bin Salman is in power ”he declares recalling his words from December 2019 when he arranged a press meeting with the girlfriend of the murdered and torn apart journalist at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Hatice Cengiz. “These new revelations, which add to a UN report which goes in the same direction – continues Bonino – must lead us to reflect on our national and European Union relations with the Saudi kingdom, and we have done well, in the meantime, to suspend the licenses for the sale of weapons at that country. Impunity di Mohammed Bin Salman it can no longer be tolerated“.

Among the voices that arise in these hours also that of Riccardo Noury, spokesperson for Amnesty International in Italy: “It is certainly inappropriate to be invited to international forums that are a direct emanation of Saudi monarchy e keep quiet on the system human rights violations“. If participation in this type of event is to be condemned, Noury ​​continues, it should be understood whether “on a scale of gravity” the behavior of “Italian governments who entertained official political relations with Saudi Arabia, sent weapons until 2019 to a country at war with the Yemen, participated in the G20 virtual”Or the organization of football matches such as Super Cup Italian. In Italy, highlights the spokesperson for Amnesty, “it was competing to see who coaxed Saudi Arabia the most, forgetting the bloggers whipped in the streets, the human rights activists in prison, the defenders for women’s rights and journalists under attack “.

Video / 2019 – Bonino with Kashoggi’s widow: “We will not forget”

To raise the question today too Nicola Fratoianni of Italian left. “Renzi had also promised to explain his relationship with MbS. If not now, when? We are waiting for explanations, even more so after this US document ”declared the M5s members of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House in a note. “Mohammed Bin Salman is the defense minister of that country, and Renzi – says Fratoianni – is a senator of the defense commission of our country. He had promised to answer on his relationship with that regime. Well I think that time has come ”. Renzi, adds the coordinator of the Greens Angelo Bonelli “He cannot remain indifferent to the news spread by US intelligence, but mainly he must give a signal to Italy: to resign from Future Investment Iniziative, renounce the fees and explain why he paid homage to the Saudi prince Salman ”.

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