ROME, June 18 (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Friday said the protracted economic uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic means that the case for monetary and fiscal expansion remains compelling. Draghi, a former European Central Bank chief who leads a national unity administration in Italy, told an economic forum in Barcelona that the aim should be to bring economic activity back to “at least” the trajectory it had before the pandemic. “With higher levels of activity than before, we can compensate for the rise in debt that took place during the health crisis,” he said, adding investors need to be reassured that fiscal prudence will return “as soon as the recovery is self-sustained.” (Reporting by Angelo Amante and Giuseppe Fonte; Editing by Jon Boyle) Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.