Business and Made in Italy Minister
Adolfo Urso said Thursday that the government will not increase
public borrowing to fund measures to help businesses cope with
soaring costs and the difficult economic climate.
"We will not have budget deviations, certainly not for
initiatives like this, which are linked to specific
circumstances," Urso, a lawmaker for Premier Giorgia Meloni's
Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, told Rai television.
The minister said the government was set to reinforce windfall
tax measures on companies that have made extraordinary profits
because of energy-price hikes.
"Energy is an emergency issue," he said at the Salone della
Giustizia (justice fair) event.
"The government intends to better regulate the windfall measure.
"It will be one of this government's first measures.
"We'll make it better and with that money it will be possible to
support businesses and families in this period of transition to
help with the cost of (energy) bills".
He said this would provide money needed for temporary aid until
the EU brings in "more structural measures".
He also talked about reducing Italy's reliance on imported
energy, saying he has never been against drilling for new
fossil-fuel supplies or against nuclear energy "when necessary
with respect for the environment".
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