Giorgetti confirms contribution wedge cut and first meeting on government manoeuvre

Cutting the contribution wedge is the first priority, which will be absolutely confirmed. "I can guarantee, as I have already done elsewhere, that the cut in the contribution wedge is the first priority, that it will be absolutely confirmed and I do not intend to question at all a sort of "trade off" between this and defence spending, which will be managed exactly within the framework of the derogations" provided by the European framework. These were the words of the Minister of the Economy, Giancarlo Giorgetti , replying in the Chamber of Deputies to an Avs question on the effects of the announced increase in military spending in relation to the extension of tax measures to support workers and businesses.

In the meantime, the majority and the government have opened the work site towards the manoeuvre. Minister for Relations with Parliament Luca Ciriani, Mef Undersecretary Federico Freni and Daria Perrotta, head of the ministry's legislative office, the chairmen of the budget commissions of the House and Senate, and members of the majority took part in a meeting in preparation for the new structural budget plan that Italy will have to submit to the EU by 20 September. As has been learnt, the final text of the cognitive investigation on the impact of the new Stability Pact on 'national budgetary procedures' will be ready by July. Work on the plan will begin in early September: it will be launched by the Council of Ministers and voted on by Parliament, Giorgetti confirmed. The modalities for the parliamentary examination of the document are yet to be established.

During the question time the minister also spoke on the subject of pensions. "We often talk about pensions in this House,' he said, 'it would be a good idea to start talking about the country's demographic trend: no pension system is sustainable in a demographic framework such as the current one. This was Giorgetti's response on the planned reform of the pension system and the extension of the early retirement institutions currently in force.

The government, explained the Minister of the Economy, hopes, now that security is at the top of EU priorities, that defence spending will be included among the relevant factors for the purposes of exceptions to the parameters of the stability pact. And that this should happen 'is a necessary condition for the Italian government to fulfil this political commitment to adjust military spending'. Giorgetti added that NATO should also be reminded that Italy is among the leaders for missions abroad, and that some expenses that are not considered for defence "could be in this type of overall reasoning".

"Of course." This is how the minister responded in the Transatlantic Chamber of Deputies to those who asked him whether the structural budget plan to be presented by the government in September will be voted on by Parliament.