In a dramatic press conference
Monday, Premier Giuseppe Conte laid down the gauntlet to
government partners the League and the 5-Star Movement (M5S)
telling their leaders Matteo Salvini and Luigi Di Maio to set
aside their differences and agree to carry on with the
government programme - or else he would quit.
Conte said either the government partners agreed to set aside
their differences and continue the implementation of the
government contract, or he would resign.
"I personally remain willing to work with the utmost
determination in a process of change," he said.
"But I can't make this choice alone. The two political forces
(the 5-Star Movement and the League) must be aware of their
task. If this were not the case I won't try and struggle on to
prolong my presence in the premier's office, I would very simply
resign my mandate."
Conte said that "it is the task of the political forces to
decide" whether the government can go on. He said "I ask for a
clear, unequivocal and rapid response" from the League and the
5-Star Movement.
"The country cannot wait".
Conte said that government partners Luigi Di Maio of the
5-Star Movement (M5S) and League leader Matteo Salvini must say
wether they want the government to continue.
"I therefore ask both political forces and in particular the
two leaders to make a clear choice and tell us whether they
intend to carry on in the spirit of the (government) contract,"
he said.
Conte said that recent electoral tension between the ruling
partners had dealt "blows" to government cohesion but had not
caused stalemate.
"The experience of government has had to coexist with a
repeated cycle of electoral dates with an almost permanent
electoral campaign and the climate of cohesion of the government
forces has suffered because of that," he said.
"I myself had underestimated this aspect.
"In particular the vote at the European elections (which saw
the League triumph and the M5S disappoint), a very complex one,
reinforced the image of stalemate in the activity of government,
but this is a falsehood, the government continued working
because phase two has started, after phase one".
Conte said that "my motto is be sober in words and
hard-working in actions. If we continue in provocations via
daily posts, in the jibes of social media, we cannot work. The
perennial constant communication conflicts prejudice the
concentration on the job".
Conte said that "the measures the government must take
require vision, courage, time, they impose exiting the dimension
of the election campaign and entering into a strategic and
far-sighted vision, different from collecting 'likes' in the
modern digital agora".
Salvini replied to Conte's call to continue implementing the
government contract by saying "we have never stopped working,
avoiding replying to polemics and also insults, and the Italians
recognised this in us with nine million votes on Sunday. We are
ready, we want to go on and we don't have time to waste, the
League is there...the Italy of YES is the right way".
Conte replied: "then we can see each other".
But Salvini stressed "we can only go on if everyone keeps
their word".
He also said that in order to keep down the bond spread Italy
would have to renegotiate EU limits.
Replying for the M5S, Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli
said "The M5S will be loyal".
Conte said that "all the problems, even the thorniest ones,
can be faced, you need a climate of cooperation and strong
agreement, in a climate where these prerequisites are not there
you can hardly tackle such delicate challenges with a high
degree of success," referring to a possible EU budget
infringement procedure and how to avert it.
The next budget bill will have to show "a balanced budget",
Conte said, because "the European rules remain in force until we
manage to change them".
Conte said that "we must work on a budget that looks like
being complex, based on an incisive spending review and on tax
expenditures. We will be called on to make delicate choices that
require strong agreement in government, respecting financial
equilibrium". He said "we remain exposed to the confidence of
investors for our debt".
Conte said that "those who know the markets knows that in
order to preserve confidence you need clear and united words
from government exponents and the majority MPs".
Conte said that "loyal collaboration means that if the
economy minister and the premier dialogue with the EU to avert
an infringement procedure that would do us a lot of harm, the
political forces should not intervene to alter that dialogue,
reducing those negotiations to a terrain of provocation".
Conte also denied suggestions he should set up his own party,
saying "if anything I will coach Roma) and said he was
independent from the M5S.
He also said he had not received any requests for a
government reshuffle.
In other remarks, Conte said Conte said that "I have said
that I would not do the TAV (high-speed Turin-Lyon rail line),
as it is today. I don't find it advisable but I find myself in a
phase of building the line and either I find an agreement with
France and the European Commission or the process is done for".
Salvini has been using his European triumph to lobby for the
TAV's completion against the continued opposition of the M5S.
The centre-left opposition Democratic Party (PD) said Conte
had recognise that there as a government crisis.
"Conte has admitted the disaster and paralysis," said PD
leader Nicola Zingaretti.
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