4 November, Mattarella: «Armed forces faithful to constitutional values». Meloni: «Never take for granted the courage of those who serve Italy»

In the year of the eightieth anniversary of the republican choice, the Day of National Unity and the Armed Forces of 4 November "takes on a particular meaning". The President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, wrote this in the message sent to the Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto.

In the morning the Head of State placed a laurel wreath on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Altare della Patria. At the ceremony were the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Crosetto himself, the presidents of the Senate and Chamber Ignazio La Russa and Lorenzo Fontana and the president of the Constitutional Court Giovanni Amoroso.

The oath of loyalty of the Armed Forces to the Republic, writes Mattarella, "is nourished by the values ​​of its Constitution". It is a heritage to be preserved so that the memory of the past is united with hope for the future and "the atrocities experienced in the world wars do not repeat themselves".

The anniversary celebrates the fulfillment of the "Risorgimento dream" of Unity and the path which, with the Liberation struggle, brought freedom and democracy to the country. He also gave "an authoritative role to Italy", thanks to the Republic's policy of peace and international cooperation.

The death of the four Italian soldiers who lost their lives in Bosnia-Herzegovina on 29 October during the Eufor Althea operation weighs heavily on the day. For Meloni, that mourning was a reminder of "how high the price can be" of choosing who wears the uniform, "and how important it is to never take the courage of those who serve Italy for granted."