A basic income and a flat tax
are not alternatives in the government's budget policy, Deputy
Premier and Industry and Labour Minister Luigi Di Maio said
Wednesday.
A universal basic income is the flagship policy pledge of Di
Maio's anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) while a flat tax
- in fact a dual tax at 15% and 20% - is the rallying cry of the
M5S's ruling partner, the anti-migrant Euroskeptic League.
Critics say pushing through both would bust the budget,
breaking EU limits on financial discipline.
Di Maio said "the basic income and the flat tax are not
alternatives.
"Our goal is to decide how to best spend Italians' taxes and
to see how to cut them, all in favour of citizens' lives. And
it's possible to do it."
He said "no one wants to bust the accounts or destroy
Europe", he said, referring to a statement from European Budget
Commissioner Guenther Oettinger.
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