Economy minister says nation plans to remain in eurozone

icy professor who was a last-minute choice for the ROME — Italy’s new populist Cabinet post, went further government isn’t consider- with his avowal that Itaing leaving the eurozone, the ly’s footing in the 19-mem- country’s economy minister ber shared currency union insisted, dismissing finanis firm. cial markets’ rocky reaction “Not only do we not want to the euroskeptic coalition to exit” the union of nations now in power as “normal that use the euro as their offi- questions that accompany cial currency, but the govpolitical transition.” ernment is determined to

Eco n omy Minister counter actions that would Giovanni Tria told Italy’s “put our presence in the euro national Corriere della Sera up for discussion,” he said. newspaper in an interview Tria, an economics policy published Sunday that the professor, was a last-minute “position of the government choice to replace the coais clear-cut and unanimous. lition’s preferred pick for No plan to exit from the euro the post is being discussed.” Italy’s president refused to

Tria, an economics pol- approve the first economy minister proposed by the leaders of the 5-Star Movement and the League, a different economist who has advocated having a backup plan to abandon the euro.

President Sergio Mattarella cited fears that championing such a plan would further roil financial markets that were already jittery from the inconclusive March election and the prospect of a populist-led government.

Last week, during the League-5 Star government’s first full week in office, the bonds market and Milan’s stock market appeared nervous about the potential for Italy’s already high debt to rise further.