BERLIN (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said on Friday that European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was appointed on condition that EU countries be granted budget flexibility and he hoped that this deal had not been forgotten.
Renzi's blunt message, delivered at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, marks a continuation of his recently tough rhetoric against the Commission, which has said Italy's 2016 budget may break the EU's fiscal rules.
"We are asking that the rules are applied without any misunderstandings over the fact that for us, flexibility was a necessary part of the accord that led to the election of Jean Claude Juncker," Renzi said.
"I have not changed my mind on flexibility, I hope that Jean Claude Juncker has not changed his mind."
The Commission has delayed until the spring its definitive verdict on Renzi's budget, which raised previously agreed targets for Italy's budget deficit and debt.
(Writing by Gavin Jones; Editing by Crispian Balmer)
