Conte says govt is sticking to its guns, but open to dialogue with Europe too

(ANSA) - Rome, June 19 - Premier Giuseppe Conte said Wednesday that his government intends to press ahead with its economic-policy plans, while remaining open to dialogue with the European Commission to avert an infringement procedure. "I have said publicly that we are all determined to avert the infringement procedure," Conte told the Lower House ahead of this week's EU summit. "But we are also convinced about the merits of our economic policy.
    "We intend to maintain constructive dialogue with the EU and I am clearly representing this determination at the European summits and with my counterparts". The European Commission has said an infringement procedure against Italy would be justified for failing to respect the debt rule and told the government to reply to it this week giving the reasons why this may not be the case. But Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who is on a high after his League party's triumph at last month's European elections, is pressing hard for tax cuts to give a "positive fiscal shock" to the sluggish Italian economy.
    "The upcoming European summits will have to be up to the task of what is at stake in the coming years," Conte told the House.
    "Solutions cannot be put off and they must develop within a new strategy, which no longer sees growth as being in contrast with stability or solidarity in contrast with responsibility".
    The premier said Italy wants to respect the EU budget rules while, at the same time, leading a debate about "how to upgrade these rules so that the Union is equipped to tackle global, systemic financial crises and guarantee a real balance between stability and growth".
    He added that Italy wants to nominate a figure with a senior economic portfolio in the new European Commission.