An Italian rejection of the euro and
a return to the national currency, the lire, is "inevitable" if
the European Union does not stop imposing irritating rules,
ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi said Monday.
Berlusconi, who heads the centre-right Forza Italia (FI)
made the comment during an interview with the Giornale di Umbria
newspaper.
He has been campaigning for FI candidates in regional
elections in several parts of Italy, including Umbria, and
calling for a new, united centre-right political movement.
Berlusconi, who has previously denounced the common
currency, suggested the price of belong to the eurozone is
becoming too high.
"The return to the lira is inevitable, whether we like it
or not, if Europe will continue to act as it has done in recent
years, setting rules and behaviors that have aggravated the
situation of countries like Italy," said Berlusconi.
"The euro is the right idea, born and managed in the wrong
way," said Berlusconi.
Other Italian leaders have complained that EU budget rules
have been too rigid and centre-left Premier Matteo Renzi has
lobbied hard for extra elasticity in the application of budget
rules for countries such as Italy that were hit very hard by
economic crisis.
The EU has given Italy extra flexibility in meeting
eurozone budget targets because of Renzi's work in economic and
structural reforms.
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