Italy’s Salvini accuses France of intentionally destabilizing Libya

BY Libyan Express Jan 22, 2019 - 12:57

FILE PHOTO: Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Salvini. REUTERS/Tony Gentile/File Photo

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Matteo Salvini, said on Monday that France had no interest in bringing calm to violence-ravaged Libya because of its energy interests.

Earlier on Monday, France’s foreign ministry summoned Italy’s ambassador after Salvini’s fellow deputy prime minister, Luigi Di Maio, accused Paris of creating poverty in Africa and generating mass migration to Europe.

Salvini supported Di Maio, saying France was looking to extract wealth from Africa rather than helping countries develop their own economies, and pointed particularly to Libya.

“In Libya, France has no interest in stabilizing the situation, probably because it has oil interests that are opposed to those of Italy,” Salvini told Canale 5 TV station.

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