Italy’s next government will direct its efforts to try to tame rising energy prices, said Giorgia Meloni, who will be named Italian prime minister on Saturday.

Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party and its allies Forza Italia and Liga face a daunting list of challenges to face, including rising energy prices caused in large part by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“I still think this is a primary responsibility of the new government, and we are obviously committed to working on it,” said Meloni, who was speaking in Milan at an event held by Italy’s biggest agricultural lobby, Coldiretti, in his first public appearance since the election night.

Greeted by enthusiastic applause, Meloni took the stage and blamed speculation for the rising cost of energy.

She said she was in “regular contact” with Mario Draghi’s previous government and would defend Italy’s national interest, but that did not mean adopting a negative attitude towards international partners.

As European Union (EU) countries discuss setting a price cap on gas in an attempt to combat rising gas and electricity costs, Germany imposed a €200 billion “defensive shield” on Thursday. to protect businesses and families.

Earlier on Saturday, Meloni met with Forza Italia leader and former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to discuss, among other matters, pressing topics such as energy prices, the two parties said in a joint statement.