New Russian TV attack on Meloni. Heavy insults from Solovyev. Tajani summons the ambassador

Very harsh insults to Giorgia Meloni, indeed unrepeatable, came today from Vladimir Solovyev, journalist close to Vladimir Putin and powerful megaphone of Russian propaganda. The deputy prime minister and holder of the Farnesina Antonio Tajani had the Russian ambassador in Rome, Aleksej Vladimirovic Paramonov, summoned 'to express formal protests,' he wrote in a post on X, 'after the extremely serious and offensive statements made by the presenter on Russian television against the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, to whom I extend my solidarity and closeness. Solidarity was also expressed by the other deputy prime minister, the leghist Matteo Salvini, who is often tender with Russia and instead this time inflexible: 'The insults to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni aired on Russian TV are serious and unacceptable. Affectionate solidarity with Giorgia, without ifs and buts'.

During his television broadcast, the anchorman lashed out at the premier, calling her Meloni a 'fascist' and apostrophised her with the term 'puta' ('prostitute'), accusing her of betraying her constituents and US President Donald Trump. 'What an ugly, nasty weasel,' she recoiled in Italian. The incident was picked up by several Russian social channels, where video extracts and comments are circulating. The timing is not coincidental: on 15 April Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky returned to Italy after only four months, received first at Palazzo Chigi and then at the Quirinale, once again obtaining an assurance of Rome's full and firm support for Kiev and agreeing to the launch of the 'Drone Deal' for the production of drones.

Solovyev is no stranger to expletives. As early as March 2023, the presenter had raised the tone by calling her a 'patent idiot', an epithet he often uses. 'Come on, come on, Madam,' he had begun, broadcasting a speech by Meloni on peace, 'Italian soldiers are also buried on Russian soil. Those Italians I know curse politicians like this, who take the people of Italy into another war'. Then again: 'Meloni, do you feel like walking the streets of Donetsk, see Lugansk. Give in like your fascist friends. Maybe you have forgotten. Meloni, what does the word fascists mean. You came to the fascists. Zelensky is a fascist'.

Other Italians ended up in Solovyev's sights. One in particular: the Dem vice-president of the European Parliament, Pina Picierno, had been heavily attacked a year ago, again for her constant proximity to the suffering of the Ukrainian people. "Her mouth reeks of tyranny," she had attacked, invited by Massimo Giletti. 'Shame on the human race, you beast, you patent idiot'. A verbal violence condemned by the entire PD as 'intimidation'.

Solidarity with Meloni was expressed by members of the majority and the opposition. Among the first, the President of the Chamber of Deputies Lorenzo Fontana: 'I firmly condemn the very serious insults addressed to the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni. Vulgar and offensive words that arouse deep indignation and are not compatible with the respect due to the dignity of the person and the institutions". "We are faced with a vulgar and unacceptable attack on Italian institutions, which must be rejected with extreme firmness," stressed the President of the Senate, Ignazio La Russa. "To her friend and Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, my personal solidarity and that of the Senate of the Republic". The Fdi Galeazzo Bignami and Lucio Malan group leaders spoke of "unacceptable and shameful attacks". Of the same tenor was the condemnation of the Fi group leader in the Senate, Stefania Craxi.