EU's Juncker warns Italy not to go ahead with proposed 2019 budget

FILE PHOTO - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker speaks at the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit during the 73rd United Nations General Assembly in New York, U.S., September 24, 2018. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri - Copyright CARLO ALLEGRI(Reuters)

By Reuters

Published on 01/10/2018 - 20:04•Updated 19/04/2024 - 04:23

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BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's executive head, Jean-Claude Juncker, on Monday warned Italy against going ahead with its proposed 2019 budget, which the bloc has criticised as too lax.

"Italy is distancing itself from the budgetary targets we have jointly agreed at EU level," Juncker told a speech in Germany.

"I would not wish that, after having really been able to cope with the Greek crisis, we'll end up in the same crisis in Italy. One such crisis has been enough," he said.

"If Italy wants further special treatment, that would mean the end of the euro. So you have to be very strict."

(Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; editing by Andrew Roche)

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