There is no contradiction between a belief in Europe and the protection of national interests, Italy's prime minister Paolo Gentiloni said on Wednesday in a keynote address in Milan.
"There is no clash between Europeanism and safeguarding our national interests," Paolo said during a speech at research institute ISPI, where he received a prize for enhancing Italy's image abroad
"Making this effort in the Mediterranean, we are seeking to be a conduit for dialogue and greater stability in the region while defending our national interests at the same time," he stated.
Italy has won praise from the European Union for rescuing many thousands of migrants in the Mediterranean and is a prominent player in EU initiatives to train Libyan coastguard and combat trafficking gangs.
