ROME – Deputy Prime Minister Di Maio firmly believes basic income has to be a key component in the 2019 budget set to be announced by Finance Minister Giovanni Tria tomorrow, parliamentary sources said on Wednesday.

 In a meeting restricted to Five Star cabinet members, Di Maio manifested his intentions to take the government into stalemate by voting against the budget in parliament and not to sign off the DEF (economic and financial planning document) if key policy issues are not included.

 Five Star flagship citizenship income, 100 quota Fornero pension reform and compensation to small depositors (following the 2017 bank bailout) are all considered budget priorities for 2019.

 Finance Minister Tria has been put under increased pressure to find the resources to fund the costly policies wanted by the populist members of his cabinet. If cuts aren’t made, borrowing and a subsequent deficit increase will be inevitable should the policies be included in the budget.

 The possibility of the deficit being higher than two percent of GDP “is not a taboo”, Di Maio said in a radio interview. “The budget will make citizens the priority, keeping an eye on markets,” Di Maio added.

 “I won’t sleep at night if the new budget will not include adequate measures for people who are suffering, for issues of equity and social justice,” said Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte during a press conference held in New York.

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