“To the European Commissioner for Economic Affairs, Olli Rehn, I say that our public finances are in order”. This is how Prime Minister Enrico Letta responds to the interview given to La Repubblica by Rehn, in which the European commissioner defines himself as "sceptical" about the situation in Italy, grappling with the announced privatizations and spending reviews so that the debt can be reduced.
Letta adds: “Italy is on the right line, that of the right balance between public finances in order and the recovery that shouldn't be stifled. Ours is a serious country: the growth in debt has ended, which for five years has gone on from 105% to 133%; from 2014 we will begin the descent. The privatizations and the spending review are two fundamental chapters of the Government's action to reduce the debt stock: they therefore form part of what we will do”.
Skepticism belongs to the political debate, according to the Italian head of government, and is not a value included in the European treaties. Then in strong tones Letta comments: “The commissioner does not say that Italy and Germany are the only two major European countries that have been below 3% of the deficit/GDP ratio for three years in a row. I believe that this is a commitment that should be rewarded, not frustrated with the concepts that Rehn expressed today".
