The member of the eurosceptic party Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S) accused the European Union of causing “irreparable damage to the social fabric” of member states with their “wrong” economic and financial decisions. Ms Agea suggested the failure to consult EU citizens on policy matters had caused an erosion of trust toward European institutions. A Eurobarometer survey conducted showed 41 percent of Italians do not believe they have benefitted from membership of the European Union.
Speaking to colleagues in Brussels during this month’s European Parliament plenary, Ms Agea said: “The choices made by the Union over these years, and decisions taken by the European institutions, have done irreparable damage to citizens and to the social fabric of the European Union.
“These have been years of austerity which have brought disasters to the social fabric, economic and fiscal policies have brought citizens to their knees, and businesses as well. Wrong-headed economic decisions bring damage and injustice to people.”
Ms Agea’s party has been engaged in an ongoing battle of will with the European Commission after Italy’s 2019 budget proposal was rejected twice, with Italy now facing the possibility of a hefty fine for proposing to raise their debt by billions of euros.
The M5S MEP suggested the failure of Eurocrats to have a direct exchange with EU citizens is fuelling perceptions politicians in the European Union make decisions behind “the closed doors of this gilded cage.”
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She continued: “The truth is in front of our noses because we talk with the citizens and what they say is you are stuck behind the closed doors of this gilded cage.
“You are not talking to the citizens. If you did talk to them they would tell you what their bread and butter concerns are, what hardship they have to contend with. It seems as if you are in a glass tower.”
Italy’s debt is more than £1.7 trillion (two trillion euro) and 131 per cent of its GDP, the second highest in the EU after Greece. European Union rules state countries must restrict national debt to 60 per cent of GDP or less.
Italy’s populist government wants to cut its deficit targets to 2.1 per cent and then 1.8 per cent in the subsequent two years.
The populist coalition government hopes to launch a series of tax cuts as Italy struggles out of the 2008 financial crisis.
Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the right-wing Lega party, remained defiant despite the threats of a fine: “We are convinced about the numbers in our budget.
Mr Salvini, who previously said “not one comma” of the budget would be altered, said fines against Italy would be “disrespectful.”
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, scheduled to meet Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Saturday, said the Government was convinced the budget was excellent and in the interest of Italy and Europe.
A survey of 27,601 EU citizens conducted from Eurobarometer revealed Italy was at the bottom of the list of countries supporting the work of the European Union, with only 44 percent of citizens backing the bloc.
Despite significant and growing support for the EU in general, half of the respondents are not happy with the direction the EU is heading in, with a similar result regarding their own country.
Public opinion also seemed quite stable in terms of expectations about the role of the EU in the future, with 48 percent wanting the EU to play a more important role, as opposed to 27 percent preferring less.