EU encouraged Rome: invest in road and rail

The EU has repeatedly urged Italy to invest more and more targeted money in the country's infrastructure.

That said a committee spokesman in response to the accusation of Minister Matteo Salvini (Interior) that EU budget rules prevent Rome from spending money on safe roads. He said that shortly after Tuesday the Morandi traffic bridge in Genoa collapsed.

'It's time to put a number of things right,' said the spokesperson. 'Italy is one of the countries that benefit most from the budgetary flexibility that Brussels allows. Member States are free to set priorities. The EU has formally encouraged Rome to spend more on infrastructure. ''

Brussels also considers the costs of receiving migrants and the earthquakes in Italy as a mitigating factor in the assessment of the budget.