We'll respect rules, no depressive moves (3)

(ANSA) - Madrid, January 27 - Premier Paolo Gentiloni said after talks with Spanish counterpart Mariano Rajoy in Madrid Friday that "we will as always respect the European (fiscal) rules but without in any way (budget) moves that may have depressive effects, and confirming the reforming action that Italy is carrying forward".
    He said the very idea of supplementary budget moves, "makes me feel ill". Gentiloni said "I trust the European Union will not at all be deaf and blind regarding the exceptional circumstances" quake-hit Italy is faced with, "otherwise it would do a great disservice to itself".
    Italy and Spain "have one point in common, the interest in getting from the EU an awareness of the importance of placing the issue of growth at the centre of our policies with reason and flexibility," Gentiloni said. In other points, Gentiloni said "there is not instability in Italy, there is a government that gas unfortunately gone through the referendum defeat, which is working in continuity with the government that operated for two years, is developing its policy choices, is making the choices that must be made in this phase. He said "Italy is a stable country working in continuity with the previous government".
    Political parties must decide on a new election system with "necessary promptness" after the Constitutional Court ruling on the Italicum law, Gentiloni said, "because that is necessary for the good functioning of a democratic system".
    Gentiloni said he was occupied with running the government and would "respect" the choices parliament and political parties make on the election law after the Constitutional Court ruling, which abolished the run-off but kept the winner's bonus in the Italicum law.
    Gentiloni told the joint press conference with Rajoy that Italy and Spain could play a "fundamental role in the coming months".
    First and foremost, he added, "as leading nations in the European Union, and so among the various issues that we discussed there was above all the significance of our commitment to relaunching the Union", naming as important dates the upcoming informal summit in Malta and the March 25 anniversary of the Treaty of Rome.