Stripping young of future a grave inequality - Draghi

(ANSA) - RIMINI, 18 AGO - Stripping young people of their futures is a grave inequality, former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi told Comunione e Liberazione's annual Rimini rally Tuesday.
    Draghi said the COVID crisis has spurred much needed aid and subsidies but "we must give more to the new generations.
    Draghi called for "massive investments" in young people and education.
    He noted that school closures had interrupted learning and called for schools to reopen and stay open.
    On the wider economy, Draghi said a return to growth was "the absolute imperative".
    He said that post-COVID reconstruction would be accompanied by high debt levels.
    "The pandemic threatens the economy and spreads uncertainty", he said.
    The role of economic policy was not to "increase uncertainty", said the ex-ECB president.
    Draghi said pragmatism was needed in the current circumstances.
    "It is time for wisdom in future choices," he said.
    Draghi said he thought that Europe would emerge "strengthened" from the virus crisis.
    Among the new tools that could be employed, he said, was a proposed EU "treasury minister".
    Draghi said he thought the European Commission had returned to the centre of policy making.
    He said he thought consumer spending could rise again with the right policies. (ANSA).