Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte called on the European Union on Friday 3 April to be more " ambitious, united and courageous " in the face of the Covid-19 epidemic, in response to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
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"Now is the time to show more ambition, more unity and more courage, " he wrote in the columns of the daily La Repubblica. " Solidarity must be the ink with which we write this page of history, " continued the head of the Italian government.
He replied to the letter from the President of the Commission, published Thursday in the same columns of the newspaper. She apologized to Italy, acknowledging that “ today, Europe is mobilizing alongside Italy. But (that) this was not always the case ”. " It must be recognized that at the start of the crisis, faced with the need for a common European response, far too many thought only of their national problems, " she added.
In favor of a "solid European lifeboat"
Describing the positive draft "allocate up to 100 billion euros to the hardest hit countries, starting with Italy, to compensate for falling revenues" referred to by the President of the Commission, said Giuseppe Conte that it was necessary to " go beyond " this figure.
He again mentioned the " corona bonds " which he prefers to call the " European recovery bonds " necessary according to him to " finance the extraordinary efforts that Europe will have to deploy to rebuild its economic and social fabric ". Thus, " the real firepower of the European family " could give birth " to a common and shared program of support and revival of our economy to ensure a dignified future for families, businesses, workers and all our children " .
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There is no question of sharing the old debt of the countries concerned, Italy having the second largest debt ratio of the EU behind Greece, nor even " to make pay even one euro more to the citizens of some countries for the future debt of other countries ”. The head of the Italian government has tried to reassure reluctant Europeans.
" Faced with a storm like the Covid-19 which affects us all, there is no need for a life jacket for Italy but for a solid European lifeboat that would take our united countries to safety " .
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