Elon Musk seeks Italian presidential meeting to salvage Starlink deal

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Elon Musk requested the interview of Italy’s president Sergio Mattarella, amid increasing doubts in Rome about a potential deal of $ 1.5 billion with Starlink, a multi -billionaire satellite provider.
Musk books Late on Saturday, “it will be an honor to speak with President Mattella”, in an attempt to save a deal faced by the opposition while intensifying geopolitical turmoil between the United States and Europe.
prime minister Georgia MiloniThe talks government with Starlink has made a possible five -year deal for safe military communications for diplomats, forces and other Italian civil service employees working abroad.
Meloni, who designed a strong personal association with Musk, said in early January that the talks were still in the “initial stage”, but defended the necessity of a possible deal that says “there was”There is no general alternativeTo meet safe communication needs in Italy.
However, it seems that the deal is now likely to be a victim of an Atlantic rift for defense, following the decision of US President Donald Trump to suspend military aid and intelligence participation with Ukraine. As Mouc said again and again on X that the United States must leave NATO Security Alliance.
Musk’s comments were followed by a influencer on the right -wing social media allied with the billionaire that Mattarella was holding the deal personally.
The Italian President, who has a strong ethical authority as head of state, has not provided any general comment on the Starlink deal or options facing Italy as it seeks to recruit an Internet -based internet provider.
But he reprimanded musk last year for its intervention in the internal policy of Italy, after he demanded the millionaires to remove the Italian judges who ruled against one of Meloni’s pioneering initiatives to deter it. Illegal immigrants.
A Mattarella spokesman said on Sunday that the president is currently on his way to Italy after an official visit to Japan, he had no immediate comment.
Rome began to look more active in alternatives to Starlink for critical services with the installation of severe local political debate on the deal.
The Minister of Industry, Adolfo Oru, said last month that the government is working to develop a home provider. Last week, Eva Bernick, CEO EutelsatThe French -British owner assured the Starlink OneWeb competitor, and he started talks with Rome.
The news of the government’s exploratory talks with Eutelsat prompted an attack from the far -right league led by Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who admires Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“In the Italian national interest, it will be strange to choose a French entity. Al -Douri said in a statement late last week:” Instead of a technically developed system like The American Thine, “.
The statement added: “In a sensitive stage like this, every option should be taken in the name of the Italian national interest without ideological biases, taking into account the United States of America as a key partner for our country’s security and sleep.”
MUSK last week, the Salvini League, thanked his support.
While Meloni has not made any public comment on the discussion since January, its office said that any decision will be taken “in full compliance with institutional procedures and with the utmost transparency.”
The left -wing opposition parties in Italy also attempted to amend a suspended space bill to restrict Rome to purchase satellite communication services exclusively from the European Union companies.
The amendments were rejected by voting in Parliament, where the right -wing Melonian party has a comfortable majority, but it highlighted the increasing uproar over the already controversial Starlink talks, which also extracted criticism from European Parliament members.
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2025-03-09 13:29:00