(ANSA) - Rome, November 21 - Deputy House Speaker Luigi Di
Maio from the populist, euroskept 5-Star Movement (M5S) told an
ANSA forum Monday his movement is distant from both Russia and
the United States, but scrapping sanctions against Russia would
benefit Italian exports and agriculture.
"However, right now we don't need to be either pro-Russia or
pro-America," Di Maio said. "All we need is to be pro-Italy, and
to have good relationships with the majority of foreign
countries".
The MP added the European Union has failed to protect the
common market from foreign competition.
"The EU's biggest failure was it created a single market in
order to protect it, and instead of protecting it, it opened to
markets that did not and absolutely could not compete with us -
such as the Chinese market, which does not have the same
standards and regulations as ours," Di Maio said.
"(The EU) allowed Moroccans and Tunisians to produce the same
product...without respecting the same standards of quality as
our products do," he said, citing what he said was another
example of the EU's failed trade policies.
Not pro-Russia or pro-U.S. says Di Maio
But scrapping Russia sanctions would benefit Italy exports