On December 19 the long lasting controversy over Italy’s budget for the 2019 fiscal year was settled during talks between Rome and Brussels, which paved the way for a national-level approval procedure.
The upper house of the Italian parliament approved Rome’s proposed 2019 budget plan on Sunday. The government’s budget plan received 167 votes for its implementation, 78 votes against with 3 abstentions.
A cut-off date for an approval of the budget is set to take place on 31 December.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, commenting on the EC’s November decision initially said that the government would not negotiate over its fiscal targets and dismissed possible EC sanctions as “disrespectful”.