Italy does not need aid from its European partners at this stage, but there would be no dramatic consequences if it had to seek assistance in the future, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said on Saturday.

"If the country had to ask for help one day, it would not be a drama," Monti told to CNBC television. The comments were confirmed by his spokeswoman.

Italy has been widely seen as one of the likely beneficiaries of the new European Central Bank scheme to hold down market turmoil by buying sovereign debt of countries that have undertaken major reforms.

Italian officials have consistently said that the country can manage on its own after a tough programme of budget cuts and reforms and will not need to call on the ECB to ease its borrowing costs.

(Reporting by Francesca Landini and Elvira Pollina)