"Defense of Europe"

FPÖ deputy leader: right-wing meeting with Salvini & Orban

Geert Wilders, Viktor Orban, Matteo Salvini (3rd from right) and Marlene Svazek (from left) at the right-wing meeting in northern Italy.

(Bild: AFP)

Thousands of Lega supporters gathered with European political celebrities in Pontida in northern Italy on Sunday. Alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Dutch election winner Geert Wilders, FPÖ deputy leader Marlene Svazek also attended the meeting of the governing party. 

Svazek emphasized the need to defend Europe as an area of "art and culture". She demonstratively backed Lega leader Matteo Salvini, who is under threat of imprisonment. 

"Europe with deep roots"
"We don't want a Europe that renounces its identity in the name of supposed progress. We want to leave the next generations a strong Europe with deep roots and a clear identity," said Svazek to the Lega activists who had traveled to the Lombardy town from all over Italy.

Marlene Svazek

(Bild: AFP)

(Bild: AFP)

Svazek gave her speech in Italian
Europe needs politicians with vision like Lega leader Salvini, who is facing several years in prison for his controversial actions against sea rescuers, said Svazek. "As Italy's Interior Minister, Matteo Salvini put the security of his country above his own well-being and thus defended Europe's values," emphasized the Deputy Governor of Salzburg, who held her speech in Italian.

We do not want a Europe that renounces its identity in the name of supposed progress. We want to leave the next generations a strong Europe with deep roots and a clear identity.

Marlene Svazek (FPÖ)

What Salvini is accused of
Salvini is accused of having prevented the ship of a Spanish aid organization with migrants rescued from distress at sea from entering an Italian port for weeks during his time as Interior Minister in 2019. In court in Palermo, the public prosecutor deemed this to be a deprivation of liberty and abuse of office. The verdict against the current transport minister is expected to be announced next month.

Orban threatens Brussels
Orban reiterated his firm intention to take action against illegal immigration in Brussels. "If irregular migration continues in Europe, we will bring the migrants from Budapest to Brussels and drop them off in front of the Brussels offices. If they want these migrants, let them keep them!" said the Hungarian Prime Minister.

(Bild: AFP)

The Lega activists in Pontida chanted slogans in support of Salvini. "Hands off Salvini, defending national borders is not a crime!" were some of the slogans that could be read on banners.

Right-wing EU alliance "Patriots for Europe"
Marine Le Pen, leader of France's right-wing populist party "Rassemblement National", sent a video message to the participants of the meeting in Pontida. The RN is the leading party of the new EU right-wing alliance "Patriots for Europe" (PfE), whose members include the Lega, Orbán's right-wing conservative Fidesz, Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV) and the FPÖ. In addition to Svazek, Wilders and Orbán, the Portuguese right-wing populist leader André Ventura and the party spokesman of the Spanish Vox, José Antonio Fúster, were also present.