Premier Matteo Renzi said after
meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker
in Rome on Friday that Italy and the EC see eye-to-eye on
flexibility.
"We share the Commission's line on flexibility," he said.
"Our reference point is what the European Commission wrote on
flexibility - we're not asking for changes".
Juncker later replied that the EC introduced in January
2015 "elements of flexibility that Italy is rightly using at
this time".
Renzi said "Italy is at a historic low in terms of EU
infraction procedures - we went from 199 (such procedures) when
we came to power to 83 today". The Italian government "believes
in respecting the rules and does its all to be in the vanguard,"
the premier said.
He and Juncker had "elements of a different vision on banks
and...State aid" as was "normal in a dialectic," he added.
Renzi also said "Italy fearlessly and with head held high
is working for Europe to once more become a place of souls and
not just a single market" and that a "strong European
initiative" was needed to bolster solidarity in the face of the
migrant and refugee emergency.
"We cannot imagine solidarity in one direction only, either
you always show solidarity or you never do," he said, voicing
the hope that Juncker "can win the contest with other heads of
government that do not have the same sensitivity" and want to
stop the refugees from entering the EU.
Juncker replied that raising barriers against refugees
"doesn't solve problems" and that Italy's conduct has been
"exemplary and should serve as a model" to other European
countries.
Italy "is a great country, a founding member of the
European Union," Juncker said. "There are widely shared views
(and) there are more meeting points than partial - and sometimes
clumsy - disagreements".
"Italy is a great beneficiary of the (EC) investment plan
and the leading light of the plan," Juncker went on. "Matteo and
I want to prolong it for longer than the three years". Renzi
earlier voiced the hope the 315-billion-euro plan could be
extended.
Juncker also said the EC is not just "technocrats and
bureaucrats in favor of...austerity". "You have to interpret the
rules in the best way possible, but not lose sight of the path
towards a more intense and lasting growth," Juncker added when
asked about Italian flexibility margins allowed by the EC. Renzi
followed this up by saying "Italy is doing more than its
homework - it is showing concrete results. We will use the
flexibility that will be allowed - it mustn't be called into
question".
"Those who trust in austerity make a mistake," Renzi added.
"Today Juncker said it is stupid. I agree with that".
Italy was bent on cutting its large public debt "for the
sake of its children and not because Juncker and Europe are
demanding it", the premier added.
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