The 1,6 billion euro treasury is the most interesting and pleasant novelty to come out of the 2015 Def approved yesterday evening by the Council of Ministers. "The time for tax increases and sacrifices is over" Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said proudly at the press conference that illustrated the Def which, also with an eye to the next regional elections, does not envisage either tax increases or cuts in the Welfare and extends the principle of the end of tax increases to the Regions and Municipalities as well. Instead, the ax will fall on the seats of the local health authorities and the former municipal companies.
The Government also aims to increase public investments and to completely eliminate the safeguard clauses included in the last two Stability laws which postulate the increase in VAT of around 17 billion if the public finance objectives are not met, with respect to which it will contribute also the greater flexibility agreed at European level as well as the greater growth of the economy with a consequent increase in tax revenue.
The destination of the treasure, added Renzi, "will be decided in the next few weeks" but among the most probable solutions of the bonus, which literally drove the network crazy yesterday with the hashtag #bonusDef, there is the extension of the 8 euros to the incompetent o the strengthening of social safety nets.
As for the decrees implementing the fiscal delegation, the Government will launch a first package on 21 April.
On a general level, the Def confirms all the previously indicated objectives: 2015 GDP growth of 0,7%, (+1,4% in 2016 and +1,7% in 2017), reduction of the nominal deficit to 2,6% of GDP in 2015 (1,8% in 2016 and 0,8% in 2017), structural equilibrium in 2017 and full compliance with the European rules on public debt in 2018.
Among the annexes to the Def there is also the new list of 30 infrastructural works that the Government considers priorities on the recommendation of the new minister Graziano Delrio and which will cost 70,9 billion euros (but for now there are 48) and which concern roads , railways and subways. Among the excellent exclusions the Nuova Pontina, the Tyrrhenian from Grooseto to Civitavecchia and the Catania-Ragusa.
