Premier Giuseppe Conte has warned the parties supporting his coalition government, the League and the 5-Star Movement (M5S), against taking on the European Commission over the management of Italy's public finances.
Last week the Commission said an infringement procedure against Italy would be justified for failure to comply with the debt rule, while stressing that the proceedings have not yet been opened and it is willing to negotiate.
"It is necessary to be careful about taking on the European Commission over the infringement procedure for excessive debt," Conte said in an interview with Il Corriere della Sera. "If it really is opened, it will hurt Italy.
"It is not so much a question of the (financial) penalty.
"It will subject us to checks and assessments for years.
"This would compromise our sovereignty in the economic sphere.
"And that is without considering the fact that the Italian people's savings could be put at risk".
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