The Northern League will push ahead with the current Italian budget proposal for the next three years despite criticism from Brussels, Salvini was quoted as saying by news portal Magyar Idők.
“I don’t care if Brussels says that I cannot push through this budget, I will do so anyway,” Salvini said
He added that the Northern League and the Five Stars Movement (M5S), the Italian governing coalition’s two largest parties no longer govern their country as the servants of Brussels as the previous leftist government did.
“The Italian budget now serves the interests of Rome and the Italians. This should be understood in Brussels, Berlin and even some hills of Rome,” he said. The reference to the hills of Rome alluded to Italian President Sergio Mattarella whose official residence is in the Quirinale hill.
Salvini said the Italian President, the financial analysts, investors and the Brussels bureaucrats should rest assured that “we don’t want to leave behind an indebted, but a better Italy”.
The League-M5S cabinet last week put forward its first financial and economic plan calling for higher budget deficits in the next three years. It will have to be signed by the President and passed by Parliament.
Italian finance minister Giovanni Tria will present the plan to the finance ministers of the Eurozone on Monday.
