Rome, Ramadan 3, 1432, Aug 3, 2011, SPA -- Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Wednesday defended his government's moves to tackle the country's public debt and vowed to introduce tax and other reforms aimed at stimulating economic growth and employment, dpa reported. The premier made the pledge in a highly anticipated speech before parliament that was widely seen an attempt to soothe fears that Italy may become the next victim of Europe's debt crisis. Italy, Berlusconi said, was feeling the effects of a global "uncertainty" which was impacting in larger economies such as those of the United States and Japan. "The turbulence in the financial markets is also fed by a perception of an excessive slowness with which Europe has dealt with the crisis triggered by the Greek situation" he said, referring to the bailout package devised for that country. Berlusconi acknowledged Italy's difficult position - after Greece the country with the second-highest public debt in the eurozone - but suggested that the situation was not as serious as some have warned. "The debts of our (private) companies are absolutely contained in relation to their turnover," he said, while also emphasizing that Italian banks had recently passed European stress-tests. -- SPA 22:47 LOCAL TIME 19:47 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/915671