Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini
said Friday European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker
should "shut up" and "stop insulting Italians and their
legitimate government".
He said the Luxembourg politician "should think about his tax
haven Luxembourg".
Juncker earlier said that "Italy has not kept its word" when
asked about the government's budget in an interview published in
Friday's edition of Le Monde.
"I have nothing against Italy, on the contrary, I love it,"
he continued.
"They should stop describing us as cold monsters, locked up
in a bunker, insensitive to the appeals of the people.
"The Italian authorities are free to make their choices over
basic income and taxes for businesses.
"(But) they still must respect the rules to avoid endangering
European solidarity".
The two leaders have bee trading barbs over Italy's 2019
budget with Salvini saying he "only talks with sober people".
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