Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi Sunday questioned strict budget rules imposed by the European Union, saying it was not an offence for a member state to break them.
"To exceed the limit of three percent of gross domestic product is not an offence," he told a congress at Cernobbio, near Milan, organised by Confcommercio, the Italian trade confederation:
Under terms of the 1997 Stability and Growth Pact, EU members are bound to maintain their budget deficits at no more than three percent of GDP.
"We don't wish to exceed it, but a deficit for a brief period is sometimes necessary to overcome a phase of slowing-up in economic growth," said Berlusconi.
"Major countries such as France and Germany are preparing to break the stability pact again next year," the Italian prime minister also forecast.
Kick-starting the flagging the Italian economy is an urgent priority for Berlusconi.
Latest opinion polls suggest falling support for his party Forza Italia three months ahead of June European Parliament elections, which are linked in Italy with key communal elections.
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