"What happened calls into question fundamental values such as freedom of speech," explains Meloni in the letter. "It has never happened before; a conference with prime ministers, MEPs, and parliamentarians was banned and then closed with the intervention of the police," adds Meloni.
"The risk of this virus spreading is real. Thank you all for being there, and long live freedom," concludes Meloni in his letter to the conference. "I tried to bring forward my arrival in Brussels to be there with you, but my flight was delayed. Yesterday, when I heard what was happening to you, I immediately called the Belgian Prime Minister De Croo," writes Meloni to the ECR group leader, Nicola Procaccini.