Renzi defends 80-tax bonus, says middle class deserves break

(ANSA) - Rome, September 16 - Premier Matteo Renzi on Tuesday defended his 80-euro tax bonus for low-income Italians, although he earlier acknowledged that it has not yet boosted consumption. He told the Senate that Italy's middle class has paid the price of the economic crisis more than any other class and as an element of "social justice" deserves the 80-euro tax bonus. He also said that labour reforms in Spain don't apply in Italy, where labour costs must by reduced by cutting related taxes, but salaries should not be lowered.