NRRP OK 'day of pride for Italy' - Draghi

(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 22 - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's handing over the scorecard on Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan in Rome as confirmation of the approval of the huge post-COVID programme marks "a day of pride for our country", Premier Mario Draghi told a press conference with the EC chief at Cinecittà.
    Italy got all As, the top mark, in the scorecard von der Leyen brought with her, apart form a B on costs.
    Draghi added that interlocution with the EU was "fundamental", especially on the sweeping reforms - on red tape, justice, competition and taxes among other things - that will accompany the NRRP.
    He said the plan was an "ambitious" one, and would make Italy "fairer and more competitive".
    Draghi said "we are just at the start, the real challenge is the implementation of the NRRP".
    He said it would be up to the government and other authorities to "spend it all well and with honesty".
    Italy is getting the largest chunk, some 191.5 billion euros, of the 750 billion euro Next Generation EU fund.
    Referring to the iconic film studios where the momentous meeting took place, Draghi said "at Cinecittà we are marking the dawn of the Italian recovery".
    Von der Leyen, for her part, said the plan had the "total" backing of the EC, and described it as "far-sighted and ambitious".
    She said a stronger Italy would make the EU stronger.
    She added that Italy had shown "the significance of solidarity" in the way it had "inspired" Europe to get out of the pandemic crisis.
    "With the Next Generation EU we will reshape Europe", she said.
    The EC chief hailed the EU's vaccine rollout saying that "vaccines are going as fast as the Azzurri", Italy's soccer team making a mark at the Euros. (ANSA).