Quarrel on accounts, spread and fiscal draft, the black Thursday between Italy and Europe

Rome – If it was only a bad day, that of today, between the Italian government and Europe it will be understood in the next few hours. For now there remain the heavy censorship of the president of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, the harsh words of the European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, Pierre Moscovici and the demanding warnings of the colleague on the Budget and human resources, Gunther Oettinger.

Three fronts open for the government yellow-green that continues in its ‘body to body’ with Brussels at the same time in which, with the Budget law at sight, rumors (and subsequent reassurance and denial) of resignation for the Minister of Economics Giovanni Tria.

The stone in the pond was the first to throw the French commissioner who openly calls for Italy “a credible budget law”, pointing to Rome as “a problem” in Europe. Then, in a historical parallel that will perhaps prove unhappy, Moscovici complains about the current climate in Europe “that looks a lot like the 1930s. Of course – he says – we must not exaggerate, clearly there is no ‘Hitler, perhaps the little Mussolini … “.

Open up heaven! This is enough to unleash the controversy with the Italian government and provoke within a few hours the very tought reaction of Luigi Di Maio and Matteo Salvini, the two vice-premier. “The attitude of some European commissioners is unacceptable – says the grillino – it is really unbearable. From the top of their European Commission they allow themselves to say that in Italy there are so many little Mussolini, they must not be allowed “. More bombastic leghisita (which now lands on the cover of Time as the new face of Europe) that invites Moscovici “to rinse your mouth before insulting Italy and Italians”. The perfect storm, in short.

But there are also other words that trigger the alarm in Rome (where for example slides the decree on Genoa that the CDM deals only preliminarily). Those, for example, of the head of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, who goes down very heavy. “In recent months – he says – the words have changed many times and what we now expect are the facts, mainly the budget law and the subsequent parliamentary discussion”. “Unfortunately – he adds – we have seen that the words have done some damage, rates have risen, for families and businesses” even if “this has not affected much other Eurozone countries, it remains a mainly Italian episode”.

Closing the circle the warnings of the Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources, Gunther Oettinger, the protagonist of a tiring hearing before the Committee of the Budget Committee and the Senate meeting for the occasion. “I’m not stupid – it gets to say Oettinger – I demand your respect”. Parliamentarians are heard saying, word more, word less “that we would like Italy to meet the 3% ceiling in the deficit-GDP ratio, and as for debt I do not think it’s a good thing to make it rise again”. The rough style of the German commissioner does not help and paradoxically agrees all, majority and opposition: “Unacceptable Martian Eurocrat” for the grillini, “social butcher” for the right of the Brothers of Italy, the same Claudio Borghi, president of the League of the Budget of the House, he let slip, closing the hearing that “these are the encounters that make Europe love”. A play on words, this too.