Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that the new budget will help the middle class and not favor the rich.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that more than 21 billion of the 35 billion euros budget they prepared for 2023 was allocated to the energy crisis.
Meloni shared the details of the 2023 budget, which was approved by the right-wing coalition government, at a press conference this morning. Noting that he formed his government exactly one month ago, Meloni said, “This government has prepared a budget that reveals its political vision and preferences in about a month. I am extremely happy with that,” he said.
Expressing that the budget will help the middle class and the rich will not be favored, Meloni said, “I consider this an ambitious, bold and consistent budget for the future. We have two main priorities in our 35 billion Euro budget; growth and social justice. In other words, while trying to secure the productive part, we carefully approached families, vulnerable vulnerable and low-income categories.”
Stating that interventions are envisaged to benefit businesses and families in the face of rising energy costs in the budget, Meloni said, “As we promised, we allocated the largest expenditure item with 21 billion in the 35 billion budget to the energy crisis. We approve and increase the tax credits of companies in this regard. Also for families, the government intervenes to keep the bills low.”
SUPPORT TO REDUCE FOOD PRICES
Meloni noted that they did not reduce VAT on basic foods such as bread and milk, which was also reflected in the press, but instead, they allocated 500 million Euros to reduce the prices of some foodstuffs by using the network of municipalities.
Giving the signal that the social security program called “Citizenship Income”, which was put into effect by the government of the period in 2019, will be abolished, Meloni stated that the state should help people between the ages of 18-60 to find a job and said, “We are committed to our principles. We protect the unemployed and the pregnant. Whoever is able to work, this program will be removed at the end of next year and will not be able to apply for a long time in 8 months. This program has been in effect for 3 years and hasn’t worked. “For some Italians, it has to take forever,” he said.
Meloni stated that with this budget, they increased the support for families and childbirth, and said that unlike the governments in recent years, they allocated 1.5 billion euros for this issue and increased child benefits.
THE ISSUE OF IRREGULAR MIGRATION
Recalling the tensions they experienced with France regarding the reception of irregular migrants on their arrival in Europe and their distribution among EU member states through resettlement, Meloni stated that their dialogue with France continues on this issue and that they did not make any diplomatic mistakes.
“Italy cannot be the only destination for irregular migration. This issue concerns the whole of Europe,” said Meloni, adding that he would examine the 20-item proposal prepared by the EU Commission in this regard, and that he could not find time due to budget preparation.
Meanwhile, in the comments in the press, it was also stated that the tax cuts promised to the voters during the election campaign period did not find much place in this budget, while it was stated that the 2023 budget, in terms of the measures it envisaged, continued the “prudent” line adopted by the previous coalition government led by Mario Draghi.