New industry minister 'next week' says premier
Berlusconi says his caretaker term has been 'full'
03 September, 18:06
(ANSA) - Rome, September 3 - A new industry minister will be
named next week, Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi said Friday."I shall submit the name of a new industry minister to President (Giorgio) Napolitano next week," Berlusconi said in the wake of criticism that he has been filling in for too long and allegedly not doing enough.
Business leaders and politicians including Napolitano have this week called on Berlusconi to find someone to take over the industry portfolio.
The latest candidate to be touted by the media is Mario Baldassarri, chair of the Senate finance committee. The premier has been filling in since Claudio Scajola resigned over a shady real-estate deal in May.
Berlusconi's announcement came after a high-ranking member of the opposition Democratic Party (PD) called for a no-confidence motion to be tabled against Berlusconi for his caretaker spell.
"Berlusconi's interim term has been distracted and inadequate, at a dramatic time for companies and workers," Senator Francesco Sanna wrote in a letter to PD leader Pier Luigi Bersani.
The premier rejected Sanna's claim, saying his time at the ministry had been "full" of activity and "incessant support" for Italian firms.
Berlusconi cited one measure, enabling anyone to start up a company "without needing the raft of authorisations (sometimes more than ten) that are currently required".
Henceforth, he said, only a subsequent inspection will be needed for all business start-ups.
