'We'll pull it off,' says premier at site of World Fair

Rome, August 13 - Premier Matteo Renzi said he would not let those who want to see Milan Expo 2015 fail get any satisfaction after visiting the site of next year's World Fair on Wednesday. "The workers are not just building a structure, not just pavilions, they are building and giving back pride to a country that needs it like bread," Renzi said during a visit to the Expo site.

"We'll pull it off. We won't leave the future to the ill wishers and those who bet on failure. We are at work and everything will be ready (for Expo's opening) on May 1, 2015".

Beppe Grillo, the leader of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S), called for the event to be scrapped after it was hit by a big corruption probe earlier this year. But the premier is confident the event - which focuses on nutrition, fighting hunger and one of Italy's fortes, quality food, under the theme Feeding the Planet. Energy for life - will be a hit.

"Up to now we've sold five million tickets," Renzi said, pointing out that 147 states and entities, including the United Nations, have agreed to take part in Expo 2015. "We have to give ourselves a bigger target. It would be wonderful if we could get to 10 million tickets sold before the start of the event". In May, prosecutors arrested eight managers and ex MPs involved in Milan Expo 2015 on charges of corruption linked to building tenders.

Those arrested included Angelo Paris, who was Expo's procurement and planning manager. And last month Lombardy Governor Roberto Maroni, a former interior minister and the ex head of the separatist, anti-immigrant Northern League, was placed under investigation on suspicion of graft in relation to Expo.

Renzi's government has responded by promising to root out the corruption, while remaining committed to an event that it hopes will provide a major lift for the recession-hit Italian economy.

The executive has given its anti-corruption czar Raffaele Cantone special powers to oversee Expo, which is expected to attract more than 20 million visitors during its six-month run.

"Expo will be the key to getting Italy going again," the premier said Wednesday.

While at the Expo site, Renzi said his government would also try to end mismanagement of European Union funds. "In the last few years and decades Italy has spent its European funds in the worst way possible," he said. "Our government will try to change the model by giving more money to strategic works and infrastructure projects".

Renzi was speaking after the European Commission denied media reports that Italy risked losing up to 41 billion euros in structural funding for the 2014-2020 period for failing to present clear projects and co-financing plans for the cash.

Cabinet Undersecretary Graziano Delrio, widely considered Renzi's right-hand man, also dismissed the speculation in a government statement. "I can say that we are close to wrapping up the definitive text of the partnership agreement (with the EC) in September on the basis of the intense work carried out in recent weeks," Delrio said. "The 40 billion in EU funds in the partnership agreement that have yet to be stipulated today represent an opportunity to be spent right down to the last cent, not a risk of losing the money".