The lawmakers of the Five-Star Movement criticized in a joint statement Meloni for “bowing before US President Donald Trump,” who also refuted the amendments to the International Health Regulations approved in May 2024 during the 77th World Health Assembly.

Representative Ilenia Malavasi and Senator Ylenia Zambito, both from the Democratic Party, accused Meloni and Health Minister Orazio Schillaci of an action they consider grave and irresponsible, which reflects “blind and absolute obedience to Trump, even about WHO health regulations.”

A report from the Corriere della Sera newspaper’s website states that Luana Zanella, leader of the Green Europe and Italian Left Alliance in the Chamber of Deputies, considered that by adopting this stance, Italy acted as a “foolish servant” of the US president.

In a recent letter addressed to WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus, the Italian health minister informed him that Italy rejects the 2024 amendments to the International Health Regulations, intended by the WHO to strengthen global pandemic preparedness, which are due to enter into force on September 19, 2025.

These amendments were adopted as “the culmination of more than three years of intense negotiations conducted by governments in response to the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemics, to achieve a safer and more equitable world in responding to future pandemics,” according to a statement from that organization.

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