Press Release No. 08/14

The following statement was issued today by Mr. Alessandro Leipold, Chief of the International Monetary Fund's 2008 Article IV Consultation Mission to Italy:

"The IMF mission that visited Italy over the past 10 days for planned 2008 Article IV Consultation discussions gathered much useful information and evaluations of Italy's economic situation. In the current political context it was not, however, in a position to hold forward-looking policy discussions. The mission will thus return to Rome when political circumstances allow for such discussions."