Renzi goes on the counterattack: Brussels' perplexities about the Italian maneuver have not been digested by the executive, which had threatened to block the EU budget, now passing from words to deeds. Italy has in fact decided to block the mid-term review of the multiannual budget of the European Union for 2014-2020.
“We were ready to approve the Commission's proposal – explained the Undersecretary for European Affairs Sandro Gozi on the sidelines of the General Affairs Council – but the compromise proposal made by the Slovakian presidency is not consistent with the ambitions of the European Union”. It is not a question of a veto, because today is not the venue for the decision on the revision, but for a "reserve" which, in fact, blocks the provision.
“Today we put the first veto in Brussels – commented Prime Minister Matteo Renzi – because we do not accept that walls are raised with our money". “We hope that our position will push Europe to be more coherent with itself, to put money where it puts words and priorities – Gozi went on – in recent months Europe has talked about security, immigration, to do more for youth unemployment, to become less technocratic and able to better respond to the needs of citizens: talking about political priorities without investing adequate resources is an exercise that we are no longer willing to accept".
