Economy Minister Pier Carlo
Padoan said Friday he was "amazed" at the fuss raised by Italy's
publication of a supposedly confidential letter from the
European Commission warning Rome not to overstep fiscal limits
in its 2015 budget.
"We performed an act of transparency to nip fanciful
speculations in the bud," he said.
The Italian government's response to the EC's request for
clarification about its 2015 budget bill may be sent on
Saturday, rather than Friday as previously promised.
"I don't know if it will be sent by the end of today,"
Padoan said. "In the letter (from the Commission) it says that
the response should arrive by the end of today (Friday),
possibly. And possibly also means that maybe we'll do it
tomorrow. The Commission has been warned about this".
Padoan added that the executive was willing to improve the
budget but not "turn it on its head".
Italy's 2015 budget should not be seen as "austerity" but
as "growth" measures, he added.
"Austerity is not spoken of anymore," Padoan said at the
Confindustria youth chapter's conference of young industrialists
in Naples.
Rather, the emphasis is on "how to support growth and
investments, especially private (ones)" without which "there is
no job creation".
As well, the minister declined to explain Premier Matteo
Renzi's statement that Italy can easily find two billion euros
to fill a possible budget gap as suggested by the EC.
"I won't go there," said Padoan.
"It is part of a dialogue with the European Commission. The
Commission is assessing the (Italian) budget, we are evaluating
it together. I have no more to say".
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