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Covid, Conte replies to businesses: "The right measures but we will reform the Cig"

The premier spoke at the Ambrosetti Forum in Cernobbio, claiming the management of the emergency and the economic recovery: "We are a resilient and tenacious country". He rules out a new lockdown and on the Regionals he admits: "Majority in difficulty, but the Government is not at risk".

Covid, Conte replies to businesses: "The right measures but we will reform the Cig"

It is an outspoken Prime Minister who physically intervenes from the audience of the The European House – Ambrosetti Forum in Cernobbio. After speaking in the morning at the Fatto Quotidiano party, where he ruled out a new lockdown ("If necessary we will adopt targeted measures"), Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte faced the financial and entrepreneurial world in the traditional event on Lake Como, this year in a "phygital" version: "I claim the measures such as the decontribution for companies that in the coming months will reintegrate employees on layoffs and the 30% contribution relief for companies in the South. These are not Augustan measures but important interventions to restart the productive fabric, to avoid, so to speak, 'sluggishness' of the economic activity”.

Conte therefore invites companies to restart taking advantage of the Government's interventions, and sends back to the sender the controversies on the extension of the redundancy fund and on the blocking of layoffs: "The extension of the support measures has been criticized, it was said that it would have blocked the organization of businesses. I respect opinions and am open to all contributions, but I proudly stand by the choices made in such a dramatic phase. We have simply asked companies to maintain employment levels during the time in which they benefit from public contributions". “Having said that – however added the premier – the need for structural interventions has not escaped the government: this is why a reform of social safety nets is on the way".

The Prime Minister, guest of the Ambrosetti Forum for the third time, then spoke about the country's economic situation and the recovery: “The economic data – he said, with cautious optimism – give us the picture of a country that has proven to be resilient, on the whole, and tenacious. It is clear that there will still be a very tough phase, but Istat has already certified that GDP in the second quarter lost 12,8%, a figure slightly lower than the European average and better than that of France, the United Kingdom and Spain. There are signs of confidence: in August Istat again estimated an increase in consumer and business confidence (the latter +3,8 points on a monthly basis)”. Industrial production is also recovering, registering +7,5% in July compared to June, even though Conte admitted that "of course the picture is still extremely complex".

“Italy – he continued in front of the “halved” audience of Villa d'Este, due to Covid – has had a productivity deficit for twenty years. A 'lost twenty years' where we have struggled to grow, we have grown much less than other European countries. Now is the time to act, to express all our potential. Europe is helping us in this: the European response has been strong and all in all quite rapid”. In the morning, at the Fact party, Conte had also said that he would like to nominate Mario Draghi to lead the EU Commission, “but he said he was tired. But I think he shouldn't be pulled by the jacket. I don't see him as a rival but as an excellence. Mattarella? I would very much see his re-election." Finally on the referendum and the Regional elections: “I will vote Yes. The majority forces are in a bit of difficulty in this electoral competition, but a victory for the centre-right will not affect the government".

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