Debt row: Italy threatens EU criminal proceedings

The EU Commission wants to hard debt against Italy and its rampant state's crackdown. The country should not reduce its expenditure drastically, the danger of an excessive deficit procedure, with billions of sentences.

Holger Beckmann, ARD-Studio Brussels

in Italy, the reins are to be invested with the national debt: The EU Commission is in favour of a criminal case against the Italian government, and calls on Rome in a first step, the government expenditure is significantly lower.

Because Italy was, in his own announcement, to reduce the debt, not complied with, said EU monetary Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici in Brussels. The public debt in Italy had not been mined, but you have to let the contrary, continue to rise, and from 131 to 132 percent of gross domestic product.

Italy is the third largest economy in the EU and in addition to Greece, the Euro-state with the highest debt mountain. The stability rules for the Euro, 60 percent of the economy allow a maximum of power in a country.

Lega-chief and Vice-Prime Minister Salvini promised last cuts, a drastic tax. Demands for fiscal discipline, he proposed in the Wind.

Already at the end of last year there had been between Rome and Brussels dispute over the Italian budgetary policy. A deficit to avert a procedure, at the end of a billion penalty could be, had submitted to the government from the extreme right Lega and the populist Five star movement, a new budget, you have to comply with now.

in Italy, interior Minister Matteo Salvini wants to increase the government debt to boost economic growth. In the dispute with Brussels, he would not give in. So far, the EU has avoided, Commission an open conflict with the Italian government.

now you want to give Italy a Chance. His door stay open, said Moscovici. This means that The EU Commission would like to see from the Italian side, significant steps in the direction of debt reduction, but at least no further increase in the debt mountain.