Italy has ‘one thousand’ ways to improve budget: government official

MILAN (Reuters) – Key points of Italy’s 2019 budget will not change, but there are “one thousand” ways to improve it if necessary, a senior government official said on Monday.

The government might decide to increase revenues in order to lower its debt, Cabinet Undersecretary for Regional affairs Stefano Buffagni said in an interview with daily newspaper La Repubblica, citing possible sales of properties or shares in companies.

Buffagni added that the government is working to lower the gap between the yields of Italian and German government bonds and that it “absolutely” wants to mediate with European Commission, though Brussels must not use Italy “to campaign”.

The European Commission is expected to start disciplinary steps against Rome next Wednesday, a procedure which could eventually end in unprecedented fines for Italy.

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