(ANSA) - Rome, June 28 - The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement's (M5S) flagship campaign pledge of a universal basic income will hopefully be introduced this year but "certainly" will be next year, Minister for Relations with Parliament and M5S bigwig Riccardo Fraccaro said Thursday. "We can't give certain dates but we're working flat out because it is an urgent need, a priority," he told SkyTG 24.

"We hope to introduce it already in 2018, in 2019 it will certainly be done," he said.

The M5S-League government has said Italy's ineffective system of job centres must be revamped before the benefit can be launched.

The basic income will ge given to poor families and to all job seekers.

It will be stripped from them if they refuse three job offers.

The measure is among a set of expensive policies including a dual tax which critics say could bust the budget.

