Di Maio defends Italy's 2019 budget despite pressure from EU Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio defends the draft budget for 2019, rejected by the European Commission, which forecasts a public deficit of 2.4% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019. The populist government in Rome is under massive pressure since the European Commission last month rejected its 2019 budget, giving the ruling coalition in Rome until Tuesday to make changes. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES