Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti on Wednesday cited a famous maxim of late Yugoslav quipping soccer coach Vujadin Boškov in recognising that Italy had to face up to the fact that EU and Italian stats agencies had certified Italy's 2025 budget deficit as 3.1% of GDP and therefore its excessive-deficit infringement procedure remains in place.
"Regarding the much-discussed 3-3.1% deficit: as Boskov said, a penalty is when the referee blows the whistle.
"So the referee awarded the penalty, you can agree or disagree, but these are the rules of the game.
"I'll tell you honestly: this whole debate about exiting the excessive deficit procedure interested me greatly until February 28, 2026, but after that date, it interested me much less.
"Then I see some comments, I understand that in this country there are even sports leaders who are celebrating the elimination of the national team from the World Cup, so it's also clear that there are many who are celebrating because a referee's decision of this kind goes against the national interest.
