The Italian government is ready to open negotiations with Lombardy and Veneto after the two wealthy regions voted overwhelmingly for greater autonomy, Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said on Tuesday. Unlike a recent referendum on independence in Catalonia, which sparked a political crisis in Spain, the Italian votes this weekend were legal, but not binding on Rome. Making clear he had no intention of making a drama out of the twin ballots, Gentiloni said he was ready to discuss how Lombardy and Veneto wanted to proceed. Among Italy’s 20 regions, Lombardy and Veneto account for just under a third of its economic output and are home to around 25% of its population. “We are ready (to grant greater powers) within the limits fixed by our laws and by our constitution,” Gentiloni said.

Source: Dhaka Tribune October 24, 2017 13:41 UTC