Italy’s Parliament and its committees are there to amend or improve the budget plan if needed, Minister for Relations with Parliament Luca Ciriani said. He said discussions in the Chamber of Deputies, including with opposition parties, would begin next week, after which lawmakers could decide whether changes were necessary.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a 4 November ceremony in Redipuglia, in the province of Gorizia, Ciriani responded to criticism over cuts in the budget. He said healthcare funding had not been reduced, but increased, and urged comparisons between the resources allocated to the National Health Fund by the current government and those provided by previous administrations.
On education, Ciriani acknowledged that the plan envisages fewer hires, linking the measure to the continued decline in the number of students. He said criticism of the school provisions was exaggerated and misplaced, while noting that budget legislation had been adjusted during parliamentary debate in previous years.
Sources: ANSA Politica.