There is a long way to go to allow Italians to live in an environment as Europe wants. Growth standards are slow, so until last month 329,22 million euros flown from our coffers to Brussels. All for environmental infractions. One fine after another in strategic sectors, where instead the quality of many national companies can be expressed.
What happens is that 141 million euros are due for the ruling on illegal dumping; 86,12 million for waste in Campania; 42 million for the Venice and Chioggia area and another 60 for the effects of the ruling on training-work contracts. The figures were provided to Parliament by Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Sandro Gozi. On behalf of the government he documented that the fines imposed on our country by the European Court of Justice must be paid after the start of the infringement procedures.
Gozi, questioned by the M5S, also explained that for two years now the government has been trying to change course. In reality, local disputes have decreased against which, however, the fines have grown, almost doubled. The reason for so much diseconomy lies in the slowness with which disputes are dealt with at central and peripheral levels.
Campania's waste, which is in second place due to its economic weight, is the proverbial ball and chain of any environmental program worthy of the name. The Region has benefited from huge funding, yet only since last year has it started a structural remediation intervention on the sites where the ecobales were parked.
As for landfills, they are scattered between Calabria, Campania, Abruzzo, Veneto, Sicily. Just a few weeks ago, 133 non-compliant ones were registered, which resulted in the payment of another flat-rate fine of 40 million euros. To put things in order, the government has appointed General Donato Monaco as extraordinary commissioner for landfills.
Overall, a complicated and disheartening picture emerges from the data with respect to the operational and financial commitment that comes from many sectors. One wonders if and by how much the EU fines will still increase, given that in Brussels they have understood that Italy, after all, is a good customer.
