“I would say that 1% is a minimum threshold, we have to go much further”. This was stated by the Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, during the year-end press conference, in reference to the GDP growth forecast for 2019. While admitting that the government was forced to revise the forecasts for next year from +1,5, 1 to +XNUMX%, to adapt to the average forecasts of the major national and international bodies, the Premier rejects the possibility that in the end the figure will be even lower, as many analysts also believe.
“It is not possible that robust growth will not be achieved – Conte underlined – Having drawn up an investment plan of 15 billion over three years, to which we added 13 billion after a meeting with state-owned companies, which I urged to increase investments; having then obtained further flexibility from Europe for a powerful investment plan against hydrogeological instability; having put in place detailed measures, for example 400 million to municipalities that do not exceed 20 inhabitants, which will be used by May 2019, also taking advantage of a subsidized scheme for awarding works; hence we have put in place a series of measures” for which growth of 1% should be considered a minimum threshold.
The premier, bombarded by questions, also said he did not rule out a reshuffle and a "coupon" to the government contract.
“VAT INCREASES: GROWTH AND CUTS IN WASTE TO AVOID THEM”
Conte was then asked how the government intends to deal with the problem of safeguard clauses on VAT in the coming years, given that - on the basis of what was established in the latest maneuver - the resources to be found to avoid increases rise from 13,7 to 23,1 billion for 2020 and from 15,6 to 28,7 billion for 2021. The final bill is 51,8 billion and if we don't find this money, the reduced VAT rate will go from 10 to 13% in 2020, while the ordinary one, currently at 22%, will rise to 25,2% in 2020 and 26,5% in 2021.
“Yes, it's true, for 2020 and 21 the safeguard clauses contain important numbers – admitted Conte – But I would not like the fact to be overlooked that in a few months we had to find 12,5 billion to neutralize the increase inherited from the government previous. It is a method of closing economic maneuvers that has already been exploited in the past. We are committed to avoiding the increase in VAT in the coming years as well. With the growth and the reduction of waste, we are confident that we will also succeed in 2020 and 2021. This government has so far had little time to intervene on the reduction of waste: it is necessary to set up a task force that works with attention and discernment in order to recover many resources from this front".
"DEBT? IT'S HIGH, BUT THE FUNDAMENTALS ARE VERY SOLID”
To those who pointed out that the maneuver did not reduce the Italian public debt, among the highest in the world, Conte replied that "the fundamentals of the Italian economic system are very solid. This – he added – is one of the reasons I put forward in the negotiations with Brussels. Sure, we owe a debt that looks a little scary looking at it like this, but if we consider other factors it's not so scary. We are the third largest economy in the Eurozone, the second largest in manufacturing, we are in the G7, we have high private savings. Other countries have low debt, but don't have much private savings and have to rely on foreign countries more than we do for financing”.
“WE ARE NOT THE GOVERNMENT OF LOBBYES AND ECONOMIC COMMITTEES”
As for the Executive team, "ours is not the government of lobbies, economic committees, business committees - remarked the Prime Minister - I don't receive at Palazzo Chigi people who represent particular interests or lobbyists but people who have institutional duties in a transparent way and in the light of day".
The maneuver “is in terms of continuity and coherence with the commitments undertaken with the government contract – the Premier said again – If the polls after months still give us much appreciation from the citizens, it is perhaps due precisely to this continuity. We are helping to reduce the rift between politics and citizens”.
On the internal balances of the Government, Conte underlined that “this experience is based on a perfect amalgam of yellow and green. A chemical equilibrium has been created, an amalgam, not a mixture, to which I too contributed. There is also perfect harmony with Matteo Salvini and Luigi Di Maio. I can assure you that there has never been a summit where we have had a serious argument or in any case a lively dialectical contrast. Maybe we're even a little boring”.
"TAV: WE WILL GIVE AN ANSWER BEFORE THE EUROPEAN"
With regard to the Turin-Lyon high speed train, Conte reiterated that "the investigation is still underway" and that "at the end of December the commission of technicians will deliver the results" of the updated assessment of the costs-benefits of the work. Subsequently, "we will go to the area and before the European elections the Government will communicate the decision in a transparent way", announced Conte.
“ELECTORAL OR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS? THEY TOUCH THE PARLIAMENT”
Any projects to reform the electoral law or to reform the Constitution, "I believe that they should be left to Parliament - continued the Prime Minister - I don't think the government should intervene in this sense, Parliament is the most appropriate place where these initiatives, which must be participated and discussed. The government must not intend such significant reforms”.
"PUBLISHING: CUTTING FUNDS IS NOT AN ATTACK ON FREEDOM"
Finally, Conte argued in front of an audience of journalists that “reviewing the publishing financing system is not an attack on freedom of information, which remains a sacrosanct value. Newspapers must also be encouraged to seek other resources elsewhere. We safeguard the newspapers and periodicals of linguistic minorities, the publications published abroad, those of consumer associations and periodicals intended for the visually impaired. As for the warheads that are affected by this cut, however, we emphasize that the cut is progressive. We want to give the press time to find resources elsewhere."
