Matteo Renzi's government said
Monday it was not true it was going to cut State pensions
that have been transferred to a spouse following the death of
the holder.
As the furore continued nonetheless, Renzi again claimed
credit for lowering taxes to help boost the Italian economy
towards faster growth, with Italy still struggling to really rev
up again after a long and tenacious recession.
Later in the day, arriving for an official visit to
Argentina, Renzi said Italy and Argentina could do a lot for
each other.
A furore over reports that the government intends to cut
State pensions continued on Monday even though the executive
denied there was any truth in the speculation.
"The row over transferred pensions is totally
groundless," said Labour Minister Giuliano Poletti of the
question that was raised by Northern League leader Matteo
Salvini at the weekend regarding a proposed government enabling
law.
"Obviously some people try to get easy visibility and
invent a problem that does not exist.
"The government's enabling law bill explicitly leaves in
tact all current positions.
"There are no interventions on transferred State pensions
under consideration. All the enabling bill proposes is that
overlaps and anomalous situations be overcome".
Opposition politicians, however, were not satisfied, amid
speculation such pensions will be linked to a person's score on
the ISEE means test.
Maurizio Gasparri, a Senator for ex-premier Silvio
Berlusconi's centre-right Forza Italia (FI), linked the issue to
a bill regulating civil unions, which will extend some rights
currently enjoyed by heterosexual married couples to gay
couples.
"It incredible that the government is considering cutting
pensions transferred to widows and widowers while at the same
time extending them to gay couples," Gasparri said.
"Renzi must explain to us the reasons for this shameful
act of social injustice that will hit the weakest people".
The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) also blasted
Renzi's administration.
"This is how the government intends to combat poverty, by
cashing on on transferred pensions and once again attacking
pension rights," the M5S said.
"We will combat this unacceptable design with all our
strength".
If there are further changes to the pensions regime, this
time by intervening on reversibility, Italians "will have to
acknowledge that this government must be sent home", Carmelo
Barbagallo, secretary-general of Italy's third largest trades
union confederation UIL said.
"They say it's a bluff, but I have the impression they are
trying it on to see the reaction," Barbagallo said.
"We were used to Robin Hood who stole from the rich to give
to the poor, they we moved on to the version who stole from the
poor to give to the rich, but now we have the genetically
modified one who takes from the poor to give to the poor," he
added.
Renzi meanwhile defended the record of his government,
citing tax cuts as a major achievement.
"Everyone is convinced that we were right to lower taxes,"
Renzi said in his Enews newsletter.
"Everyone has their own personal table of what should have
been cut and what should have been kept.
"It's impossible to please everyone. But there's the
awareness that there's been a change of gear with respect to the
past - now taxes are coming down, before they went up".
Italy "is back", Renzi said Monday, a week to the day that
the government will celebrate its two years in office.
To mark the date, February 22, Renzi said he would meet the
foreign press "to show, numbers at hand, how Italy has returned
and wants to make itself heard ever more".
He said he would make three factory visits from north to
south to show the impact of his Jobs Act labour reforms.
Renzi also said that the EU remained a priority for the
government in managing migrants and fostering better
growth-stoking policies.
"On Wednesday I will be in parliament ahead of the EU summit
on Thursday and Friday," he said in his e-news.
"The European agenda continues to be the No.1 priority for
all. Migration, financial crises, lack of stimulus for growth,
but I say also culture and research: the European capital this
week was not Brussels but Cascina near Pisa where Italian
researchers played a decisive role in the discovery of
gravitational waves".
Later, in Buenos Aires, Renzi said at an Italian school in
Buenos Aires Monday that "Argentina and Italy can do a lot of
things together, in many sectors.
"You will see in the next few months how many visits,
meetings, delegations."
Speaking at the Cristoforo Colombo school, he said "Before
talking about business, cultural cooperation, sport, soccer I
want to tell you I feel at home here".
Argentina and Italy are sisters, Renzi said on the visit to
the Italian school.
He said they "shared great values".
The premier said "we may be cousins with the French, with
Argentina I would talk about sisters", Renzi said, joking with
the students.
Renzi said "sorry if I arrive 18 years late, after the last
premier came. And sorry if I arrive half an hour later than the
schedule".
The premier apologised for making the students come back
from holiday.
The last premier to visit was Romano Prodi in 1998.
Earlier, Renzi laid a wreath at a monument to Argentina
founding father General José de San Martin shortly after
arriving in Buenos Aires.
On hand to welcome Renzi were Foreign Minister Susana
Malcorra and city Mayor Horacio Rodriguez Larreta.
After the brief ceremony Renzi was hailed with a "bravo
Matteo" by a group of Italian tourists.
Renzi met Italian businesspeople in Buenos Aires, stressing
now trade and business could be boosted under new President
Mauricio Macri.
Among those present were Enel CEO Francesco Starace,
Finmeccanica CEO Mauro Moretti, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti
Managing Director Fabio Gallia and Trevi CEO Davide Trevisani.
Also on hand were Luigi Scordamaglia of Federalimentari,
Licia Mattioli and Enrico Ghella as well as representatives of
Ansaldo, Esaote, Pirelli and Fiat Chrysler.
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