Rome Should Veto EU Budget Over Fiscal Dispute Despite Likely Counterreaction - Lega Party

Rome Should Veto EU Budget Over Fiscal Dispute Despite Likely Counterreaction - Lega Party

Italy should not be afraid of any reaction by other EU countries and be ready to veto an EU budget proposal if the European Union tries to enforce its borrowing rules on Italy's new government, member of the governing council of Lega Lombarda, Gianmatteo Ferrari, told Sputnik on Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th September, 2018) Italy should not be afraid of any reaction by other EU countries and be ready to veto an EU budget proposal if the European Union tries to enforce its borrowing rules on Italy's new government, member of the governing council of Lega Lombarda, Gianmatteo Ferrari, told Sputnik on Wednesday.

In late August, Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio threatened to veto the EU's seven-year budget plan if there were no changes to the immigration situation in Europe.

"Obviously there will be reactions from the EU ... against Italy. They will say and try to stop us anyway. But I must remind you that this Europe is 'expiring' and these European commissioners will not be re-confirmed next spring. The next European elections will [be won by] the parties like the League in Italy and we will change this Europe ... If they do not [give] us the necessary reforms to help our people, we as the Italian Government have the possibility of vetoing the EU budget. And we will do it," Ferrari said.

EU Budget Commissioner Gunther Oettinger on Tuesday 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.

On Tuesday, Italy's government coalition, which comprises the Lega party and the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, met for initial assessment of fiscal policies and public finance targets. The government is planning tax cuts and spending increases which Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said would be introduced gradually.