An Italian government spokesperson has dismissed reports of ongoing negotiations with the France-based satellite communications company Eutelsat as “unfounded,” directly contradicting a statement made by Eutelsat CEO Eva Berneke on the same day.
The Italian government has come under growing scrutiny following reports that it is seeking to establish a deal for secure emergency and military communications using low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations. This technology enables internet connectivity from anywhere around the globe, making it a crucial solution for resilient communication in emergency situations.
“We are in very good discussion with Italy and certainly hope this will continue,” said Berneke on 6 March in an interview at Bloomberg TV.
Yet, at present, there are no ongoing talks with Eutelsat “or any other companies in the sector,” a cabinet spokesperson of far-right Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni (ECR) told Euractiv, in a message also shared with the National Associated Press Agency (ANSA).
At the moment, there are only two companies worldwide offering low-Earth orbit connectivity by satellites: French-British Eutelsat’s OneWeb and US SpaceX’s Starlink.
The Italian government’s reaction therefore also contradicts Meloni herself, who, following critics, defended a potential deal with Elon Musk’s Starlink in early January, saying that talks with SpaceX were at a “preliminary stage.”
The confirmation of Italy’s interest in Starlink prompted strong reactions from the opposition in Italy and at EU level, arguing that such a deal would be non-sensical politically, economically and sovereignly.
Any decision regarding satellites connectivity will be made “in full compliance with institutional procedures and with maximum transparency,” further reads the statement.
On the same day, the Italian Chamber of Deputies approved a national bill on space economy provisions. The opposition’s proposed amendments, which would have de facto prevented the use of Starlink in certain conditions by establishing sovereign requirements for satellite communications, were rejected by MPs from the governing parties Fratelli d’Italia (ECR), La Lega (PfE), and Forza Italia (EPP).
Alessia Peretti contributed to the reporting.
