Xmas decree for basic income, pensions

(ANSA) - Rome, November 2 - The government's flagship policies of a basic income for job seekers and the poor and a pension reform overhaul allowing people who have combined ages and years of contributions of 100 to retire earlier for less will be put into a decree at Christmas, Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio said Friday. "The basic income, citizenship pension and 'level 100' are in the budget and anyone who says the contrary is lying," he said after reports the key campaign pledges had been removed from the 2019 budget bill.
    "There's the beef in the budget, there's the money", he said, while explaining that enacting decrees will be issued "at Christmas or immediately afterwards".
    Di Maio also said there would be more cash for schools thanks to cuts in oil industry tax breaks.
    He also said there would be an amendment cutting funds to the media.