Italy could lift payments to poor and unemployed to €780 per monthNovember 10, 2018 - 12:42 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Italy’s coalition government has proposed a radical scheme that could dramatically increase welfare payments to poor and unemployed Italians to as much as €780 per month, Financial Times says. Details about who will be eligible for the so-called citizens’ income programme — the signature policy of deputy prime minister Luigi Di Maio of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement — how it will be distributed and when it will be introduced remain unclear. But with workers in southern Italy aged under 30 earning a median wage of €840 a month for their first job, falling to €700 for those without a university degree, the policy has generated understandable excitement. The policy, for which Rome is budgeting €9bn a year, is part of a gamble by the government that a sharp increase in state spending will help jolt Italy’s ailing economy back to life following a lost decade. While other large European economies have recovered from the financial crisis, Italian gross domestic product remains stubbornly below where it was in 2007. The Italian government has justified the rise in spending that will sharply increase its budget deficit by predicting that the economic stimulus and boost to consumption will help the economy grow by 1.5 per cent next year. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |