European ministers again agree that it's not a question of lowering prices by adjusting excise duties but probably of helping poorer families with compensation measures.

Times are changing and even the Bank of Italy has to change.

We expected the governor to do the sensible thing from an institutional point of view, and that didn't happen.

I have talked to Berlusconi repeatedly about the budget and the Bank of Italy since August, but to no avail.

Looking beyond the question of legitimacy of action, there is a problem of rules and therefore a credibility risk for the country.