Il cabinet approved the Flood law decree, which contains the first aid to deal with the emergency that brought Emilia Romagna to its knees a week ago. It will be a "buffer" decree, because right now the priority is to put urgent funds in place to finance relief and unblock the viability of the region literally submerged in water. “It is a decree law with the first urgent interventions, very substantial, there are many measures. Overall, this is a 2 billion euro intervention", said the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, in a press conference adding that "there will be a reconstruction phase, on which we are not yet able to quantify the overall needs and damages". And then he announced: "We have approved a civil protection ordinance which extends a state of emergency to all the municipalities affected by the flood, subject to extending it also to the affected municipalities in the Marche and Tuscany, which however need another route" .
Emilia-Romagna flood: first aid from the Government
Illustrating the measures contained in the decree, Meloni said that it provides for the suspension of the terms relating to tax and social security payments until 31 August. And it will be up to the Civil Protection to draw up the list of Emilia-Romagna municipalities that will have to be included in the tax exemption. “On the issue of utilities, the suspension by Arera was approved. As far as private mortgages are concerned, there is no need for a regulation, thanks to the memorandum of understanding with the Abi on the suspension of taxes in the event of similar events.
580 million for the Cig up to 90 days, one-off aid of 3 thousand euros for self-employed workers
The decree passed by the CDM provides for “the layoffs by way of derogation for all employees up to 90 days, a measure covered up to 580 million euros. And there is also a one-off payment of up to 3 euros for self-employed workers forced to stop working, with coverage of up to 300 million euros”.
Fund for the school of 20 million euros
“For the school there is a 20 million euro fund for didactic continuity, and the faculty of the Minister of Education, by order, to work with a certain flexibility on the fulfillment of the high school exams with the institutions involved", explained the president of the Council.
100 million to agricultural companies, 700 million to exporting companies
Instead, 100 million euros have been allocated by the Ministry of Agriculture for compensation in favor of agricultural enterprises. A further 75 million are instead allocated "to be drawn from the innovation fund for the purchase of machinery for the damaged companies", continued the premier.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has provided a non-refundable grant for the exporting companies damaged by the flood from the Simest fund, with coverage of a further 300 million euros. Added to this is “the creation of a reserved quota of 400 million euros” which concerns non-repayable subsidized rates, Meloni explained.
Emilia Romagna flood aid, phase 2 is already being thought of
These are just the main measures to deal with phase 1, among which there is no appointment of a commissioner, but the powers of the commissioner for drought have been extended "as regards the verification and monitoring of water drainage works . It's a bizarre passage, but it's the climate situation we're in,” Meloni said.
We are already thinking about phase 2, but the measures will begin to take shape when the situation is clearer damage count, which is already expected to be in the billions. For this you will in all likelihood request to access the European Solidarity Fund, the community instrument against natural disasters, as also happened 11 years ago for the earthquake that struck the same lands: 670 million in that case, compared with damages for 12 billion. Bonaccini, at a press conference, announced the visit to the flooded areas of the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, scheduled for Thursday 25 May.
Emilia-Romagna flood: the red alert remains in some areas
River levels are falling, albeit very slowly, but thered alert even if the area shrinks. Conditions of red hydraulic criticality remain in the Bologna, Ravenna and Forlì plains, precisely due to the difficulty of disposing of the water overflowed by the watercourses and which weigh on the secondary and reclamation network. Frane they can still detach themselves in the mountainous and hilly areas of Bologna and Romagna.
In the meantime, the prosecutors of Ravenna and Forlì have opened files for culpable disaster.
