Military expenses, Adolfo Urso (Copasir): “That commitment assumed ten years ago takes on even more value today, with an armed invasion in the heart of Europe”
“First of all, we are talking about an increase not in military spending, but in defense expenses, which is what Italy has long been committed to achieving by 2024. A commitment made 10 years ago and confirmed by all the successive presidents of the Council, including the two governments led by the M5s ”. To make it clear with Affaritaliani.it is the Copasir president, Adolfo Urso. While the debate on the issue remains heated with the agenda, mirroring the one approved in the Chamber, which the Brothers of Italy presented to the Senate, the number one of the Parliamentary Committee for the Security of the Republic dwells on the value that that commitment “It assumes all the more reason today, with an armed invasion in the heart of Europe”. But above all, interviewed by our newspaper, he clarifies how this increase in spending does not translate only into armaments in the strict sense: “It is good to remember that the Atlantic Alliance alongside the three war domains – which historically have always been land, sea and sky – has inserted space and therefore cyber space as well. Therefore, when we speak of defense we are certainly referring to this too “.
President, why is the defense spending commitment now, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, so important?
We must ask ourselves what is new today compared to then.
I ask him: what’s new?
The different thing is that what no one ever imagined – namely the invasion against the independence and freedom of a European people – has happened. Therefore, if this commitment was taken in a completely different context from the current one, it should be valid today, even more so, in the face of a clear threat.
You said that defense also means space and therefore cyber space.
In various reports we have documented in Parliament how Russia had become a highly equipped country in the cyber sphere and how important cyber defense was. The first report in this legislature was not by chance precisely about this. And it already contains indications and proposals which were then partly implemented in these three years and partly in the current context of emergency. Some are still to be completed and I hope it will be done in a reasonable time.
Let’s take stock. Where we arrived?
We had indicated the need to extend the golden power to the telecommunications system and to create a national perimeter on cyber security. These two objectives have been achieved for some time. Last June, however, the National Cybernetic Agency was created. Unfortunately, we arrived ten years later than in countries such as France and Germany.
What are the goals still to be achieved?
Also in that Report we highlighted the need for a specific IT crime to be introduced. Today even more urgent even to prosecute crimes for extortion purposes such as those that have occurred recently, I am thinking of the case of the Lazio Region or the State Railways. But there is still a lack of legislation on this. It would also be good, also in the light of what has happened and what could happen, to configure a large-scale cyberattack as a terrorist attack, just as it would be appropriate to specify in the Council presidency the possibility of activating reaction mechanisms. in the event of such an attack.
Part of the future resources, however, what should be invested in?
Surely the aspect of cyber defense needs to be increased at the Defense. Apart from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which reminds us of ancient ways of conflict, we absolutely cannot overlook the so-called hybrid war that authoritarian systems have actually waged against Western democracies. And which manifests itself in several aspects, one of which is certainly the cyber attack.
In the meantime, however, the Five Star Movement says a firm no to the increase in military spending up to 2 percent of GDP. What do you think of this position?
I don’t comment on political positions. I will limit myself to making one consideration, however.
Which?
The Italian Social Movement, which was – as it was said – an alternative force to the system, has always voted in favor of the Atlantic Alliance and of all the instruments that would serve the defense of the West and of Italy, despite being in opposition . Being in the majority or in the minority, in fact, is an aspect that matters little at this moment. What matters is the conviction and that is to share the defense. Among other things, it is emblematic that a few weeks ago Germany decided to reach and exceed the 2% target with an extraordinary investment of 100 billion euros. Evidently there we realized – as should also be done in Italy, another founding country of the European Union – how important it is to defend and protect our nations.
In this regard, among other things, we go back to talking about common defense.
I believe that the next step that awaits us is important, that is to rationalize resources in European investments. EU countries today have different and often competitive rather than complementary projects on defense instruments. I think it is appropriate that we reach a sharing of these tools, also to make the necessary savings. If desired, much can be done in this area.
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