Conte hopeful on 'citizens income' scheme to boost Italy economy to tackle poverty

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte predicted on Wednesday that his government's "citizens' income" welfare scheme, which opened to applications earlier in the day, would provide a major boost to the country's flagging economy.

"I'm sure it will have a positive impact on domestic demand," Conte told a news conference in Belgrade after meeting Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. The citizens' income, aimed at tackling poverty, will cost state coffers 7.1 billion euros ($8 billion) this year, 7.8 billion in 2020 and 8.0 billion in 2021.