The European Union's internal divisions and weakened state precludes it from putting pressure on Italy regarding budget-related issues, as has been made evident by the row over migration, Gianluca Savoini, a member of Italy's right-wing Lega party, told Sputnik on Wednesday.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th September, 2018) The European Union's internal divisions and weakened state precludes it from putting pressure on Italy regarding budget-related issues, as has been made evident by the row over migration, Gianluca Savoini, a member of Italy's right-wing Lega party, told Sputnik on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, EU Budget Commissioner Gunther Oettinger put Italy on the list of states threatening EU economic stability after the Italian government made statements about possibly ending its contributions to the bloc's budget amid a row over rules regarding migrants arriving on boats. Italy has to present its budget to the European Commission by mid-October.
"When Salvini closed the Italian ports to the ships of migrants, the EU shouted and threatened Italy. Then nothing happened and France and Spain had to take migrants ... The same will happen after fiscal declarations by Salvini. The EU is now too weak and divided internally to attack an important country like Italy," Savoini, who also serves as the president of the Lombardia-Russia Cultural Association, said.
Under EU rules, no country should have a budget deficit that is higher than 3 percent of its GDP or a debt above 60 percent of GDP. Italy's debt is above 130 percent. According to sources in Lega, Salvini is pushing for a deficit of up to 2 percent of GDP.
"If France and Spain have been extending the 3 percent ceiling for years, nobody said anything, [then why], if Italy tries to touch it to make the country safe and revive the consumption of Italians, is it a problem? Matteo Salvini wants to govern to serve the interests of Italian citizens and not the big international financial groups and so I think that the minister's statements can make Brussels understand that the wind has changed in Italy and that the new government is working to boost national economy," Savoini added.
On Tuesday, Salvini tried to play down investors' fears, stating that Italy would respect all the rules, constraints and commitments made, and that it planned to gradually introduce spending increases and tax cuts.
