“We will provide in the next few days a another small concentration of measures for growth: I propose not to simply call it a development decree, but to include it in a growth operation, which people will have to evaluate as a whole, of which it is a piece, it is not the first thing that is done for growth. But it takes time for these measures to bear fruit". The premier announced it Mario Monti speaking in the Chamber of Deputies during an urgent briefing.
As for themeeting last night at Palazzo Chigi with the majority leaders Angelino Alfano, Pierluigi Bersani and Pier Ferdinando Casini, "I decided to clearly explain the situation to them - explained the Premier - which presents positive aspects but also very, very serious tensions in the markets and which re-affect the 'Italy. The suggestion I have given to the leaders of the parties supporting the government is, if possible, to an intensification of the action especially as regards timing. There are decisions that are in the parliamentary halls and everything that can be done to bring them to a conclusion as quickly as possible will help to remove that 'half-cooked' idea that allows observers who are not always benevolent towards Italy to say ' yes, the reform is good, but who knows if Parliament will approve it'”.
GROW TO AVOID CONTAGION
In any case "we are very serene about the way Italy presents itself today in the international arena and to the international markets – Monti said again -. The banks are very stable and even, strange as it may seem, but other countries are doing very badly on this front, an unemployment rate lower than other European countries”. The spread “is still so high because the debt is very high, and for a while, even though it will go down, it will remain very high. Italy is appreciated for the decisions it has taken, but above all what worries the markets and the rating agencies is the low growth”. With the measures for growth, “the same markets will consider public finance more sustainable, rates will drop and businesses will be more facilitated in their investments. This will protect you more from infections ”.
NO TO PRESSURE TO ASK FOR HELP
"Among the first objectives towards the EU - continued the Professor - we wanted to show with actions in our country that we do not need the paralyzing protection of others, and I can reveal that we have received paternal and sometimes even maternal advice from those who he told us to ask for the support of the bailout fund or the IMF. We preferred that the country try to go it alone, not because it is unseemly to be assisted, but because we have seen, now Spain has it for the banks, that generalized assistance means the so-called troika, a Russian term which European union means seeing the Ffmi, the ECB and the European Commission seated, almost like collective governors”.
ALFANO: FULL SUPPORT, USE IT TO STOP MERKEL
“You have the support of the main parliamentary forces in the country, which I believe will tell you in unison that you have a full mandate – replied the secretary of the PDL, Angelino Alfano, after the information from the Prime Minister -. We support Italy and when you are in Brussels at the end of the month we will ideally be there with you because we believe you can play an important role. Use this consensus and tell Merkel that if Germany continues in that direction, however willingly she is close to German issues, the Italian Parliament could have reactions to a certain policy. Use this consent and it will do good for your government, for Parliament, but above all for Italy ”.
BERSANI: INVESTMENTS ARE NEEDED
Even the leader of the Democratic Party, Pier Luigi Bersani, guaranteed “full support, and I would like to say to some easy commentators that there are no balls and chains here, but people who are taking on a difficult mediation in the country. Let the easy commentators come with me and they will see how difficult it is”. Bersani then asked for a “realignment of the break-even prospects” because “we need investments. Not project bonds that will arrive when they arrive but investments already tomorrow, intervening on internal demand so as not to bring down the economy”.
CASINI: UNITY MOTION OF ITALY TO THE EU COUNCIL
For Casini “Monti is able to represent our reasons in the EU. I propose a joint motion by the Italian Parliament to ask for more Europe, to rediscover the fundamental reasons for the EU, to relaunch the European political and monetary union, there is no escaping this, the rest is just patches on the dress, but the problem is to change the dress”. “We are convinced that we are supporting the government and the effort it is making not uncritically but with conviction”, but “I believe that new maneuvers at this moment cannot serve our country. Even more rigor would kill us ”, he concluded.
