Italy 'same rights' in EU says Padoan (2)

(ANSA) - Brussels, January 15 - Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan said Friday that the relationship between the EU and Italy is a "relationship between the government of one of the main countries in the EU that is addressing the (European) Commission in an open and frank way, bearing in mind that we want to reinforce the EU but at the same time that we have rights on a par with those of others and we mean to make ourselves heard". He spoke after EC President Jean-Claude Juncker's unusually frank criticism of Premier Matteo Renzi's recent stances allegedly against the EC.