Monti: “We’re asking for sacrifices, but together we can make it”

The council of ministers passed the budget, but, before starting the press conference, Prime Minister Mario Monti addressed the Italian people. “We have been given a short mandate with an important task, that of helping Italy to emerge from a very serious crisis that is in danger of compromising what four generations of Italians have created in sixty years of sacrifices. We are a country that has accumulated serious imbalances over the last few decades. When we talk about the cost of politics (and we have adopted measures to reduce this significantly), we are talking about the cost the people must sustain to maintain the administrative bodies, but we don’t think about the true cost of politics, namely, that whoever is in power takes decisions on the basis of the short term, of the next elections, and not of the future of our generations. In the past, it was these approach that prevailed; this is why our young people find it so hard to find a job, the North and the South are so different, and the public debt has grown, and it is no fault of Europe. Today we have taken a number of emergency measures to create the conditions for Italy’s growth, significant measures against tax evasion, and we ourselves have also undertaken to cut back significantly. We want the numerous sacrifices we’re asking the Italian people to make to be seen from a perspective of reviving the Italian economy. Our goals are to improve the conditions of women and young people, and encourage national cohesion. We want Italy to be proud to be Italian, and Italians not to feel mocked. We want politics to regain the faith of the people. Together, we’ll make it. I wanted to give you a message of concern but also of great hope.”