Economy Minister Pier Carlo
Padoan said Wednesday that the additional two billion euros that
Premier Matteo Renzi has pledged to spend on security and
culture as part of an effort to combat terrorism depends on the
European Commission granting Italy's request to use the
flexibility clause in the EU budget rules.
"Guaranteeing security has a double dimension, culture
and security," Padoan told the Schengen committee.
"The billion plus a billion announced by the premier will
be in the budget law to the degree that Europe grants the (use
of) the clauses we have requested.
"We are working on the basis of the hypothesis that
Europe gives the green light".
Padoan said Italy was not asking for too many concessions
from the European Commission, stressing that it respected the EU
budget rules.
"It is often said that Italy asks for too much," Padoan
told the Schengen committee.
"I reiterate that it is asking for what is possible
within the European rules and it is one of the few countries who
meet the necessary conditions to be able to ask for it".
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
