New Recovery Plan sent to govt parties

(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 7 - A new version of Italy's Recovery Plan to use the 209 billion euros assigned by the EU?s Recovery Fund was sent to government partners Thursday to try to overcome opposition from former premier Matteo Renzi's Italia Viva (IV) party which has threatened to pull out of government over the initial version of the plan.
    The plan was sent to the members of the ruling majority shortly after the IV equal opportunities minister, Elena Bonetti, reiterated a threat to pull out of the government.
    "I hope that soon talks will begin and we'll get concrete answers," she said on Sky TV.
    "If that doesn't happen, we're not going to stand for Italy being worn down like this.
    "We want serious work and we're not prepared to occupy posts just for the posts' sake".
    Renzi reiterated Tuesday IV was ready to quit the government in a row over the Recovery Plan and a range of other policies.
    Renzi has repeatedly threatened to pull his ministers from the administration led by the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) and the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), of which he was once leader before breaking away.
    He has mostly cited disagreements over the government's Recovery Plan to spend Italy's 209 billion euros of the European Union's 750 billion euro Recovery Fund.
    On Tuesday Renzi dismissed as "chat" speculation that the row could be resolved with a reshuffle. "We are the only ones ready to quit our posts," said Renzi, who has two IV ministers, Farm Minister Teresa Bellanova and Equal Opportunities Minister Elena Bonetti.
    "If our ideas are not needed, you can keep your posts" Renzi this time cited a wider range of differences, over "health spending, high-speed trains, vaccines, education, culture and jobs". He said that IV had a "political problem, not a personal one" with Premier Giuseppe Conte.
    Conte responded Wednesday by saying he was prepared to talk about the Recovery Plan with Renzi.
    The Italian media has speculated that, aside from a reshuffle, there may be a government crisis that could lead to Conte being reappointed to head a new government. Failing that, there may be a snap general election. The centre-right opposition, led by nationalist League leader and former interior minister Matteo Salvini, says it is ready for an election, which it has called for citing continued government infighting. (ANSA).