The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Italy during the GEI Award ceremony at NYSE promises internal reforms to attract US investments in Italy and commits to a stronger Transatlantic relationship both from an economic and political viewpoint.
This morning, the Honorable Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Italy, has received the GEI (Gruppo Esponenti Italiani) Award at the New York Stock Exchange, the first GEI Award after the Covid pandemic. 12 Italian global companies representing a good portion of the Italian economy were part of the welcoming committee at the podium, endorsing the Hon. Tajani commitment to the Transatlantic relationship both to defend Ukraine’s quest for peace within its recognized borders and to foster economic growth, trade and a strong bilateral direct investment flow between Italy and the United States (Please see list below).
The minister was clear in establishing that a peace process can start between Russia and Ukraine once Ukraine borders and security will be restored to their original position. He claimed that for Russia to even threat use of nuclear weapons “is a criminal act” and he reassured the American public present at the New York Stock Exchange about his government commitment to the defense of Ukraine independently of certain provocative statement against President Zelensky by former Prime Minister, and his party leader, Silvio Berlusconi. “The government has always voted in one direction – ha said – and I can assure you that Berlusconi is a supporter of Ukraine’s quest for peace and freedom from Russia”.
On trade the Minister shared some hope that certain protectionist US measures hitting Italian products like salami and Finocchiona coming from Umbria and Tuscany will disappear. He defended the sale of the Priolo refinery owned by Lukoil to a Cyprus financial institution: “The US has to understand that first and foremost thousands of jobs are important to maintain”. He said it was important to have a “plain level field” trade relationship with China and Asia, but he asked Beijing in no uncertain terms to “help in convincing Russia to end the war in Ukraine” and warned Beijing about the habit of “intellectual property theft which will not be tolerated”.
He also pointed out that the “Conservative party of Giorgia Meloni could very well be accepted in the ranks of the PPE center right parliamentary alliance in the European Union after the 2024 European elections” and pointed to the need for Europe and Italy to help Ukraine, after one year of war, not only militarily but also in the reconstruction effort: “It will be an investment in the European Union – he said – considering that Ukraine will eventually be part of the EU”.
While delivering the GEI Award, Mario Calvo-Platero, GEI chairman motivated his board’s choice of Tajani as recipient of the award “for your staunch loyalty to the Transatlantic relationship and Alliance, your leadership in fostering the Italian government commitment to defend the Ukrainian quest for freedom, your dedication to Europe and your service as a member of the European Parliament, as EU Commissioner and President of the European Parliament. We the board of GEI, Gruppo Esponenti Italiani, have voted unanimously to recognize you as the recipient of the 2023 GEI Award”. Later Calvo-Platero added: “needless to say, how important it is from a symbolic viewpoint that this award is being delivered here, at the New York Stock Exchange, the epitome of transparency, merit and free flow of capital. Values that are under attack at this critical juncture of international relations, when an aggression has been perpetrated not only against a country, Ukraine, but against the system of Western Market Democracies, based fundamentally on the respect of freedom rights, fair competition, free elections and the rule of law.
The award ceremony took place on the beautiful NYSE Board Room with a full Italian delegation, attending, the Ambassador to the United States, Mariangela Zappia, the Ambassador to the United Nation, Maurizio Massari, the New York Consul General, Fabrizio Di Michele, and an audience of Italian and American businessmen.
Please see below the full GEI Mention for the Award and a list of those part of the welcoming committee.
WELCOMING COMMITTEE
In alphabetical order: Simone Bemporad, Assicurazioni Generali; Mariafrancesca Carli, BDT& Company; Carlo Tunioli, Edizione SPA; Enrico Viale, Enel North America; Marco Margheri, ENI; Matteo Torre, Ferrari North America/Exor; Marco Galbiati, Fincantieri Marine Group; Pierpaolo Monti, Intesa Sanpaolo; Monica Mandelli, KKR; Alfredo d’Innocenzo, Lavazza Americas; Riccardo Casale, Leonardo; Christian Steffens, Unicredit.
GEI AWARD MOTIVATION STATEMENT AS DELIVERED BY GEI PRESIDENT
MARIO CALVO-PLATERO
Minister Antonio Tajani, having established your staunch loyalty to the Transatlantic relationship and Alliance, your leadership in fostering the Italian government commitment to defend the Ukrainian quest for freedom, your dedication to Europe and your service as a member of the European Parliament, as EU Commissioner and President of the European Parliament, We the board of GEI, Gruppo Esponenti Italiani, have voted unanimously to recognize you as the recipient of the 2023 GEI Award. Needless to say how important it is from a symbolic viewpoint that this award is being delivered here, at the New York Stock Exchange, the epitome of transparency, merit and free flow of capital. Values that are under attack at this critical juncture of international relations, when an aggression has been perpetrated not only against a country, Ukraine, but against the system of Western Market Democracies, based fundamentally on the respect of freedom rights, fair competition, free elections and the rule of law. Key values that you are defending to help companies, including Italian and European companies to reach their potential, and to keep thriving as tools to foster economic growth, employment, innovation and prosperity. For all of the above let me recognize you with our annual GEI Award, this Arnaldo Pomodoro Sculpture which symbolizes the strength of the Transatlantic relationship.