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July 12, 2020 "We must go in the direction of Italy's reform program. Reduction of bureaucracy, fight against tax evasion, competitive economic systems". Sebastian Kurz tells FAS about Conte's reform agenda.

When asked if he has an interest in things going well for the second trading partner, he replies: "We are obviously interested in a positive development in the neighboring country. But the neighbors also know each other well," he says, underlining that in the past reforms were not always the case have been successful.

"In Italy, in the past, stimulus programs promoted by Europe have not had the success hoped for. The country now has as its first need to fight the illegal economy and has uncompetitive systems, from pensions to the labor market," continues Kurz. "If we want to spend 750 billion we have to ask ourselves: who should pay, who should receive them, and what they should be spent for? The opposite would be negligent".

It would be "negligent" not to ask how Italy will spend the money from the Recovery Fund, says Sebastian Kurz in a great interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. "Obviously we are interested in the positive development of our neighboring country. But the neighbors are the ones we know well. In Italy, various EU support programs have not brought the desired result. The country has yet to fight with a lot of the underground economy, and from pensions to the job market it still has systems that are not competitive. " Therefore, insists the Austrian chancellor, "if we are to spend 750 billion euros, we have to ask ourselves: who should pay them, who should receive them, and what should they be spent on? All the rest would be negligent".

"We must go in the direction of Italy's reform program: cutting bureaucracy, fighting tax evasion, competitive economic systems," says Sebastian in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. However, adds the Austrian Chancellor, "I could also mention the weak points of other countries. But in Spain, Portugal or Ireland we have experienced intense reforms under the pressure of the aid programs. And in Greece we should not even talk at length about conditions: the new premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis does the reforms by himself ".

"A Debt Union with us cannot be done. But it is clear that in an extraordinary crisis like this, we must help the States that have been hit hardest, and that are going through this health and economic crisis worse." Thus the Austrian chancellor reiterates his point of view with respect to the European negotiation on aid for the Covid-19 pandemic. Of course for Kurz "How this aid should be will be discussed in detail in the negotiation", then adds "I am optimistic that in the end we will come to an agreement"