Premier Matteo Renzi said
Thursday that "it would be better if in Europe there was more
talk of investments and less of austerity, and countries would
work better".
Renzi was speaking at the opening of a new tunnel on the
Salerno-Reggio Calabria stretch of the A3 motorway, a symbol of
slow and Mob-plagued infrastructure projects in southern Italy.
Renzi said that "if we stop complaining we'll regain our
place at the lead of a Europe that has lost its way".
He said:
"Italians are needed. When I ask for effort from Italians
it's not to take issue with nay-sayers but because we want Italy
to start believing in itself again.
"That's why a call to faith is needed".
Renzi said that "the Italy that runs and does things is
needed, rather than the Italy that fills the bank accounts of
lawyers for various suits".
He said "in this work site we have cut the prejudices
towards our country".
The long-delayed Salerno-to-Reggio Calabria stretch of the
A3 motorway "has become the symbol of things that have gone
awry" in Italy, Renzi said.
He recalled that when he recently announced the
inauguration of the stretch for December 22 to the foreign
press, "they started laughing, and they were laughing at Italy".
Renzi also said it was "not possible for the high-speed
rail to stop at Salerno...it has to reach Reggio Calabria".
The premier also voiced dismay at the number of young
people from the south who are forced to leave their homes to
seek jobs to the north or outside Italy.
"When young people leave their home areas to find a job it
is a disappointment and a pain for all", he said.
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