CONFIDENCE IN THE ROOM ON THE MANEUVER: TOMORROW DEFINITIVE GREENWAY
The Government has placed its trust in the House on the manoeuvre. The definitive go-ahead for the provision is expected for tomorrow. The explanations of vote will begin at 11.30 and will be broadcast live on television. At 18.30 the representatives of the groups will intervene for the declarations on the final vote, which should arrive by 20.
Meanwhile from Brussels they specify that “the EU Commission has not asked Italy for any additional manoeuvre. The country is currently already working to approve an ambitious package". These are the words chosen by the spokesman of the EU commissioner for economic affairs, Olli Rehn, to deny some headlines read today in the Italian press. Yet the latest Report on public finances by the European Commission spoke of a possible "additional action" to be requested from the Italian Government.
BERLUSCONI FROM BRUSSELS: "THE OPPOSITION RUINS ITALY"
Also in Brussels this morning the EU leaders welcomed Silvio Berlusconi. The prime minister flew to Belgium to "illustrate" the contents of the new budget to the president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy. And he didn't miss the opportunity to argue: "The opposition's statements are different from the truth and force us to reassure the European institutions about the contents of the maneuver and our forecasts". Again: "The opposition criticizes the maneuver with the only desire to give the Government a push and with the clear intention of ruining the image of the Prime Minister, but in doing so it ruins Italy".
THE CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE MISSED INTERROGATION
There were various controversies raised by the appointment between Berlusconi and Van Rompuy, but this time they had nothing to do with either Europe or the maneuver. It was the Italian premier who requested that the meeting in the Commission take place today. A circumstance that has given rise to serious suspicions, because in these very hours Silvio Berlusconi should have spoken to the magistrates of Naples about the alleged extortion suffered by Gianpaolo Tarantini and Valter Lavitola. As a simple witness, and moreover a victim, the Knight could not avail himself of the right not to answer and would have to speak to the judges without the support of his lawyers.
ULTIMATUM FROM THE PROSECUTORS OF NAPLES: "CHOOSE WHEN TO BE INTERVIEWED, OTHERWISE FORCED ACCOMPANIMENT"
The response from the prosecutor's office was not long in coming: the magistrates officially asked Berlusconi to choose a date and time between Thursday and Sunday for the interrogation. A gesture of availability which however sets the condition that the answer arrives by 14 pm tomorrow. Otherwise, the public prosecution office could ask for the forced accompaniment of the prime minister.
