Renzi not worried about budget scrutiny

(ANSA) - Rome, October 25 - Premier Matteo Renzi reiterated Tuesday that he is not worried about European Union scrutiny of his government's draft budget for 2017.
    Rome is expected to receive a letter from the European Commission on Tuesday requesting clarification about various aspects of the budget. Renzi has said that Rome does not intend to make major changes to the budget plan and argues that the EU should be doing more to help Italy cope with the Mediterranean migrant crisis.
    The EU communication is expected to request more information on the planned deficit-to-GDP ratio of 2.3% next year, the number of one-off measures, and financing for the government's anti-seismic plan after the August 24 earthquake that devastated parts of central Italy. "To the people in Brussels who would look to put us through a fine tooth comb for our spending on the quake, I say that we are respecting all of the rules," Renzi commented.
    "That includes those (rules) necessary to resolve the problems created by selfishness, such as immigration". The premier added that he had told Italy's city mayors to spend what they needed to make sure school buildings were safe.
    "The stability of Italian schools comes before the stability of European bureaucrats," he said.