Italian interim Prime Minister Carlo Cottarelli (Photo: VNA)

He told the press after a meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella that if his administration is not approved by the parliament, the general election will take place after August.

Mr. Cottarelli, known as “Mr Scissors” for making cuts to public spending in Italy, was Director of the Financial Department of International Monetary Fund from 2008 to 2013. President Mattarella appointed Cottarelli as interim prime minister after Giuseppe Conte, appointed by the Northern League and the Five Star Movement, failed to form a new government. Mattarella refused to accept the nomination of Paolo Savona as Finance Minister.