EU on Privatization: “OK but we need more structural adjustments

For Commissioner Rehn’s spokesperson the disposals announced by the government will have an impact on public debt and are positive, but remain a ‘one-off’ measure. Meanwhile in Italy, Letta fires against “the European Ayatollahs for whom rigor is never enough”

The privatizations that the Italian government intends to put in place “have a positive impact on the debt” and “may also have an effect on the economy,” but Rome must not forget that “the need to implement structural reforms remains.” This is what Simon O’Connor, spokesman for Olli Rehn, Vice-President of the European Commission, told journalists in Brussels, commenting on the divestiture package of 10-12 billion. Recognizing that the government’s measures, although they are “one-off” is still a ‘good thing,’ Ò Connor reaffirmed “in our opinion for the budget plan” and “for the spending review.” It is on these actions, said the spokesman, “we will wait for more details and in February, with the winter forecast, we will evaluate whether the government will be able to anticipate the spending review.”

But far from Brussels, Enrico Letta, President of the Council, meanwhile rumbled against the “Ayatollah of rigor.” Speaking to the Federcasse assembly Letta said, “we are battling because we are drawn both on the outside and on the domestic front,” and so while ” on the European front for some Ayatollahs of rigor this is never enough, but too much rigor and Europe will eventually die and our businesses will eventually die; “on the home front instead” too many think that we can deal with deficits and debt. We are in the middle. We need solid shoulders to hold the two opposing sides.”