Italians first, and only… also for the basic income. But Treu replies: It is forbidden

Rome – Italians first. And only. Always. Even when there will be the “citizenship income” (basic income). The vice-premier, Luigi Di Maio, has given the officiality to what was becoming a ‘controversy’ even within the Government. Contradicting the words pronounced yesterday by the Minister of Economy, Giovanni Tria.

“It is clear that it is impossible, with irregular immigration flows, not to restrict the audience”, thus ending up “to assign citizenship income to Italian citizens only”, Di Maio told Radio Anch’io. Obviously the other vice-premier, Matteo Salvini, agrees, and expresses his satisfaction talking about “a clarification that we welcome with great pleasure”.

The current president of Cnel (Consiglio nazionale dell’economia e del lavoro), the former Minister of Labor Tiziano Treu, rejected the hypothesis that “it is unacceptable, according to European law, that a welfare benefit such as citizenship income can only be given to Italians”. Treu explained that the European Court of Justice has ruled on similar services several times, reiterating the extension to foreigners with long-term residence permits, “in my opinion it is not acceptable for income to be given only to Italians”.

Ettore Rosato, from Pd (Democratic party) accuses the government of making only “many promises and nothing concrete”.