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"Our revenues are larger than we had prudently forecast and we will certainly be able to reduce the debt faster than even we expected," Conte said in an interview on Facebook.
The European Commission said last week that Italy's growing public debt broke EU rules, opening the way for a possible disciplinary procedure and a clash with Rome's anti-austerity government.
"We are very confident we will be able to give Brussels the answers it is looking for," Conte said, adding that while Italy wanted to respect the EU's fiscal rules it should also have the right to criticise them and seek changes.