Ahead of general election, Italy warned of “Russian interference”

Joe Biden warned of "Russian interference". He was quoted by the Italian media, but intelligence agencies denied this information. On the other hand, the US ambassador to Rome, John R. Phillips, tried to influence the outcome of the referendum on constitutional reform in Italy. It is also worth mentioning that the sanctions against Russia, which Italy was forced to sign, caused huge economic damage in Italy, but the Italians still obeyed the US orders.

Photo: Sputnik

Sputnik Italia asked Bruno Ballardini, an expert in strategic communications, to comment on the situation:

Sputnik:As the Italian general elections approach, there are claims from the US about Russia's intention to interfere in the elections. What do you think about these accusations?

Bruno Ballardini:I have a pretty clear idea of ​​the situation. There is a fierce struggle in the United States right now between the Republicans and the Democrats, or more precisely, between the Democrats who want to remove Mr. Trump from office and Mr. Trump himself. The Democrats have launched a propaganda campaign, mainly carried out by the CIA.

The United States seeks to turn an internal conflict into an international one involving its allies. It uses this method to influence other countries, including European ones, to spread false information about Russian intervention, which is absurd! It is necessary to hold a "Nuremberg Tribunal" to try the lunatics, because they want to spread war throughout the world with the sole purpose of maintaining maximum influence and control over the world. Starting with President Nixon, subsequent presidents, under the influence of financial lobbying, have sought to achieve this goal. We will not allow this to continue.

Sputnik:How can the US talk about Russian interference when it itself tried to interfere in the constitutional referendum in Italy (where the majority of voters — 60% — voted against the constitutional amendments — Ed.). The US told the Italians to vote for the amendments. That is election interference, right?

Bruno Ballardini:Everything the Americans say about Russian interference is nonsense. We in Italy have been subject to American interference since World War II. The United States has been trying to influence our political parties since the 1960s. And I do not understand how the Russian media can influence political parties and elections? If someone makes such statements, then evidence must be provided, although, as we know, the Americans can fabricate evidence. Only stupid people can believe it.

One example is the case with hackers. Did hackers have the ability to penetrate and manipulate databases? That is a lie. But in Italy, some people believed it and voted according to the instructions of the United States. It is likely that the United States colluded with someone in the government so that after the referendum victory that person would represent American interests in Italy. Prime Minister Matteo Renzi probably acted according to this scheme during the Obama administration. There are influence groups in the Italian media, and these are American interest groups, not Russian interest groups.

Sputnik:Commenting on these accusations, Vladimir Putin said that these were attempts to damage relations between Russia and Italy. In your opinion, what is the purpose of the accusations against Russia?

Bruno Ballardini:In my opinion, Mr. Putin was being polite. If Italian politicians believe such accusations, then this is a terrible mistake. It means that they believe everything that is published in the American press, and the United States becomes our master. The master says so, so it is. This is mental illness.

We also see the influence of the United States in the situation with sanctions against Russia. The sanctions certainly hurt Russia, but, at the same time, they have a negative impact on the Italian economy. In the north of Italy, there are many companies and factories that cooperate closely with Russia. The Americans decided to impose sanctions and expected all other countries to follow their lead. There is no doubt that the influence of the United States on Italy has damaged the economy. This situation must not continue. We need a politician who can say “no”, but, at present, Europe is still quite weak politically. Personally, I believe that Europe can become stronger only by improving relations with Russia. Europe cannot develop without Russia.