Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni on Thursday called on the EU take an urgent action to cope with high energy prices.
"Unfortunately we have a sword of Damocles of expensive energy that is draining resources," Meloni said at the annual meeting of the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI) in Bergamo.
Italy is spending around €5 billion ($5.2 billion) a month, she said, adding: "... if the European Commission fails to act, it will be difficult to cope with these costs."
Her remarks came as the EU energy ministers plan to reject a gas price cap proposal by the bloc.
On Tuesday, the European Commission proposed a cap on gas prices at €275 per megawatt hour as a response to the energy crisis triggered by Russia's war on Ukraine.
