Giuseppe Conte at a press conference in Rome. – Photo / Sipa USA / SIPA
“I’m the one who keeps the accounts. “The head of the Italian government Giuseppe Conte replied dryly to the German Chancellor
Angela Merkel which prompted European countries to use all the instruments of
relaunch of the EU, including the Stability Mechanism (MES).
“Nothing has changed with regard to the opinions of Angela Merkel, but it is I, with Roberto Gualtieri, the Minister of Economy, and the state accountants, who keep the accounts” of the Italy, said Giuseppe Conte. “We are preparing a recovery plan for Italy which we will present in September,” added the head of government during a press conference, which was devoted to the start of the school year in Italy.
A bad media outing
Giuseppe Conte reacted to remarks made by Angela Merkel in an interview published this Saturday by several European daily newspapers: The print (Italy), The world (France), Policy (Poland), The vanguard (Spain) and Southgerman newspaper (Germany).
Asked if Italy should use the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), the European relief fund set up during the euro crisis, Angela Merkel replied: “It was to Italy that it is up to you to decide. We have created the instruments, with the European Investment Bank, the precautionary credit lines of the MES or the SURE partial unemployment scheme ”. “Anyone can use these instruments. We did not create them to keep them unused, ”added the Chancellor.
European Stability Mechanism divides Italy
The political debate is lively in Italy about a possible use of the MES line of credit. The system notably divides the majority in power, the 5 Star Movement (M5S, anti-system) – which Giuseppe Conte is close to – being opposed while his partner in the coalition, the Democratic Party (left), is in favor.
The European Stability Mechanism (ESM), an organization created in 2012 during the debt crisis, will provide credit lines to the countries most affected by the crisis. coronavirus. Loans can reach up to 2% of the country’s GDP.
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