Premier Paolo Gentiloni said
Friday that he expects the European Commission to acknowledge
Italy is working to improve its public finances in its upcoming
opinion on Rome's 2018 budget package.
"I am optimistic about the recovery," Gentiloni said at the
end of the EU summit in Gothenburg.
"Italy's growth is highly significant, with forecasts for
this year that are double what they were a few months ago. This
should be nurtured.
"Italy's budget is accompanying this growth and respecting
the European rules.
"I expect the EU to recognise these efforts".
The Commission is pressuring Italy to do more to improve its
public finances and is expected to send Rome a letter asking for
clarification regarding the 2018 budget law.
Gentiloni said earlier on Friday that growth and investment
are needed to have fairness in the labour market.
"Without economic growth, and investment for the creation of
jobs, there will never be real equity in places of work,"
Gentiloni said in his speech at the Gothenburg Social Summit.
He stressed that "balancing the rights of young people and
the elderly is a key issue," as is helping "young people and
women to enter the labour market".
Gentiloni said that around one million jobs were lost in
Italy between 2010 and 2013 but more or less one million new
ones were created between 2014 and 2017.
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