Budget won't hike taxes - Conte

(ANSA) - Rome, October 17 - The 2020 budget bill won't hike taxes, Premier Giuseppe Conte said Thursday.
    The premier denied reports to the contrary.
    "Saying that taxes will rise with this budget are not correct," he said.
    "If we had not intervened the tax burden would have been 42.7%, now it's 42% if not less".
    He said this was "absolutely contained with respect to the forecasts".
    Conte said "the budget has a redistributive effect for workers and families and businesses, and we confirm a robust framework of interventions.
    "We are making a selective increase of some sectors in activity".
    The budget raises VAT to 22% on driving and flying schools.
    The main features of the budget are an avoidance of a VAT hike that would have cost 23 billion euros, green investments, a plastic tax and a sugar tax.