In Brussels only the technicians of the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance remained to put in their place the last pieces of an economic maneuver that has undergone, over the course of the day, different revisitures. The staple on which the Italian premier does not want to go back is the deficit / GDP ratio to the 2,04 percent. Value necessary to carry on the best known measures, income of citizenship and pensions at 100.
In this regard the Undersecretary for the Presidency of the Council of Ministers Giancarlo Giorgetti attacked the M5S and citizenship income. "A measure that could fuel undeclared work. Unfortunately, the electoral program of M5S in the South met with widespread support, probably also because citizenship income was foreseen. Maybe Italy does not like it but this is the Italy we have to deal with". Giorgetti's last sign, the government contract is implemented or voted". "Black work? The Gdf will do the checks. I also hear that there is an Italy that does not like citizenship income, while we like it all" replica Di Maio.
In the press conference at the end of the European Council, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte reiterated, therefore, that the balances will remain those presented two days ago to the President of the European Commission JeanClaude Junker, i.e. the 2,04% deficit / GDP for 2019, without making no reverse. Prime Minister Conte, writes Il Sole24Ore, reiterated that the balance fell from the initial 2,4% due to the recovery (of 7-8 billion) resulting from the technical reports, which were based on initially prudent estimates. The work in Brussels will continue today and perhaps tomorrow by the staff of the Treasury within 2,04%: the theme always remains the reduction of the structural deficit, and Prime Minister Conte also substantially confirmed this, under the watchful eyes of the Minister Tria, present at the press conference. "If we were to go down from those balances and this meant, as it probably would mean, having to cast lots among an audience of recipients of our measures, we will never do it. The reforms are what we thought, the controversies have no reason to exist, specifying how there are no changes on citizenship income and pension reform - neither in the audience, nor in the number of interventions".
However, the gap remains on the structural front of the 0,2-0,3% of GDP, as the European Commission demands at all costs a minimal reduction in the deficit net of the economic cycle compared to the 2018.
Another question addressed to the Italian premier: why you changed the deficit target? "Italy - replied Conte - he is not with his hat in hand, he has worked out a well-constructed, well-thought-out maneuver and even this last step is not the result of a last-minute rethinking. We have never thought of 2,4% as an accounting index of challenge to someone, to the Union, or as a totem pole".
Also Angela Merkel in the press conference he sent positive signals, "sam confident that an agreement can be reached. The ongoing dialogue is positive, Giuseppe Conte described Italy's reform plan in detail ".