Berlusconi says Italy is ‘up to the task’ of tackling debt crisis

ITALIAN Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, facing record bond yields and calls for his resignation, said Italy is “up to the task” of tackling the debt crisis as its economic fundamentals are solid.

“Our banks are liquid, they passed the stress tests, and Italian families are less indebted than others among the major econ-omies,” Berlusconi told the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of parliament.

“If to our deficit we add the savings of our families, we’d be second in the European Union in terms of solidity.”