We aren't carpet sellers Salvini tells Moscovici

(ANSA) - Rome, November 22 - Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini hit back on Thursday after European Economic Affairs Commissioner said there could be no negotiations with "carpet sellers" after the EU executive rejected Italy's budget plan for 2019. "The Italian people are not a people of carpet sellers or of beggars," League party leader Salvini said. "Moscovici continues to insult Italy but his salary is paid by the Italian people in part. Enough is enough. We've run out of patience". Moscovici had suggested that Italy will have to give a lot of ground to make a solution possible over its budget. "We can have a agreement on the rules, move closer to the rules, but there can be no negotiation with carpet sellers," Moscovici said in the French parliament. "If the ball falls on the line in tennis, maybe slightly on the far side, an indulgent umpire can consider you to have won the point. "But if you hit the ball in the stands, the umpire can't give you the point". He added that at the moment, with Italy, "the ball is in the stands and the Commission is the umpire".
    Earlier on Thursday Salvini said the government will not change direction on the budget. "We don't take steps backwards," Salvini told State broadcaster RAI.