Grillo says Italy must exit euro to avoid default - update 2

(ANSA) - Rome, October 21 - Beppe Grillo, the leader of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S), said Tuesday that Italy must exit the euro to avoid a Greek-style financial meltdown. "Let's take back monetary sovereignty and emerge from the nightmare of bankruptcy via default... to not end up like Greece," Grillo, who has launched a drive for Italy to hold a referendum on the euro, said on his blog. "Out of the euro or default. There are no alternatives.
    The interest on the public debt is killing the country and dismantling the welfare state".
    The commedian-turned-politician returned to his popular blog, which gave life to the Internet-based M5S in 2009, a day after causing a stir on it by calling for undocumented migrants to be expelled from Italy if they are not found to be refugees.
    "People who enter Italy on migrant boats are perfect strangers," said Grillo, whose movement captured a quarter of the vote at last year's general election.
    "They should be identified immediately. The refugees should be accepted, the others, the so-called illegal immigrants, should be sent back to where they come from.
    "People who enter Italy should be subject to an obligatory medical upon arrival to protect their health and Italian people's health".
    Grillo's hard line on migrants has drawn parallels with the separatist, rightwing Northern League, which is also calling for Italy to drop the euro and to halt the arrival of undocumented migrants.
    But Grillo recently knocked back an offer from League leader Matteo Salvini to meet for talks on the issues the two parties agree on.