New Delhi: Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni defended her friendship with billionaire Elon Musk saying she was maintaining a personal connection with him while fulfilling her duties as prime minister.
Speaking ahead of the European Union summit in Brussels, she told lawmakers that her friendship with Musk would not be influenced by his economic interests.
Taking questions at the parliamentary discussion, she said: ‘I can be a friend of Elon Musk and at the same time the head of the first Italian government that made a new law to regulate private activity in space’.
She emphasized that she had ‘good relationships’ ‘with many people’ but ‘I don't take orders from anyone.’
Meanwhile, Meloni’s government passed a law for regulating private space companies in Italy, aiming at attracting foreign investment.
Meloni reportedly held frequent meeting with Musk as part of bringing investment in the country.
Her far-right coalition that came to power in 2022 approved a framework this year allowing foreign space companies like Musk’s to operate in the country.
The move is expected to generate an estimated$7.3 billion in investments by 2026.
A photo of Meloni and Musk from an event in September was widely circulated causing social media users to wonder if they were ‘dating’.
Musk called Meloni ‘authentic, honest and truthful’ at the event in New York.