ITALY does not expect any more requests from the European Commission to change its 2015 budget to meet European rules on debt reduction, Italy’s top official on European Union (EU) policy said Saturday.

    Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s government has already tightened its initial budget at the commission’s request, but last week an EU source told Reuters the commission may push Italy to trim it again.

    “We expect the budget to be assessed without any requests for adjustment,” Sandro Gozi said。

    The original budget was an expansionary, tax-cutting package which Renzi said was needed to resuscitate a recession-bound economy which has shrunk by about 9 percent since 2007.

    The dispute with the EU centers on Italy’s “structural” deficit, adjusted for the business cycle. (SD-Agencies)