The importance of it is extremely high. It shows clearly that we are those who are fighting for the self-determination of peoples will not allow the denial of the will of the people of Crimea. As we know, 95% decided to become a part of their motherland - Russia.
This result is very important, and I am sure that the other regions - especially Lombardy and Liguria, and others where the Northern League is represented - will follow the example of Veneto. Venetians showed firmness and determination by welcoming the Crimean right to self-determination.
Let me remind you that the delegation of Lega Nord became the first among European politicians and parties who visited Crimea after it became part of Russia. In the autumn of 2014, the head of Lega Nord Matteo Salvini and I met with the head of the Republic of Crimea Sergey Aksenov.
Lega Nord became the first party to immediately recognize the results of the Crimean referendum. And in conjunction with the Lista Zaia and our other colleagues, we have developed a resolution that the Veneto Regional Council has received. And as I said, I hope that we will be able to carry out such resolutions also in other regions.
The vast majority of Italians are against the anti-Russian sanctions. People understand that it's just idiocy, it was a stupid and wrong decision. Russia is not an enemy of Italy, but on the contrary, it is our traditional ally, both from a political and economic point of view.
Over 2 years of sanctions, Italy has lost a total of 5 billion euros. These are not only direct but also indirect losses. Many entrepreneurs in Lombardy, Veneto, Turin, as well as in Rome and southern Italy are in despair. A huge number of companies were forced to close because we had to sanction huge trade with Russia, and hundreds of companies were involved in it. A lot of people lost their jobs. This is the result of an unacceptable and shameful policy that the Italian government adheres to, and which the Italian people and the economy have to pay for.
Our businessmen have repeatedly appealed to the Government of Italy with the requirement to lift sanctions as they are only bringing harm to the country's economy, especially now when the global financial crisis has occurred.
Both small and large businesses understand it, but the Italian Government, the President, and Prime Minister Renzi - who actually was not elected but was made head of the government by the financial elite with the support of Germany - is against Russia. Here we are not unique, the same situation is in all the European governments. The opinion of the people is of no interest to anyone, as banks and transnational corporations run all of Europe. But it is not a problem solely for Italy, but for the EU as a whole.
The situation in Ukraine is reminiscent of smoldering embers under a layer of ash. As we can see, Kiev and Poroshenko continue to press for sanctions against Russia, and at the same time, they do not hurry to comply with the Minsk Agreements. The Ukrainian government is organizing provocations.
So I'm afraid that very soon the war will resume in Donbass. There will be an invasion of Ukrainian troops. And I do not think Donbass will ever agree to recognize the authority of the Kiev government and remain a part of Ukraine.
In any case, the people's Republics have the full right to self-determination. A referendum is needed, the results of which will be recognized as expressing the voice of the people and true democracy, and not the interests of a narrow circle of the world's politicians.
In Europe, there is the coming to power of conservative and patriotic politicians: Lega Nord in Italy, Alternative for Germany, the Austrian Freedom Party, the National Front in France. Europe of ordinary people, Europe of thought, Christian Europe says "Enough!" to European bureaucracy, the strategists of global capital, ultra-liberals, and atheists. We are tired of the destruction of our cultural identity and the loss of economic sovereignty. Europe wakes up. In Germany and Austria, France and Spain, and even in Hungary there are more people and parties with the main slogan "Enough!" Nobody needs any more power that ignores the views of their citizens. And very soon the current political system will collapse completely. I predict the collapse and the end of the European Union in the near future.
The interview is made in collaboration with tsargrad.tv
There is a crack in the Empire's seemingly impenetrable armor. It cannot be omnipresent, and if enough of Europe goes it's own way, the Empire cannot keep them all in the corral. The humiliation of getting dumped stings.