"The Government is aware of the consequences that the war in Ukraine could have on the Italian economy and we will do everything to mitigate the effects". AND a new “whatever it takes” the one pronounced by Prime Minister Mario Draghi in the Chamber during the question time on the measures that the government is putting in place to welcome Ukrainian refugees in Italy, but also on the Pnrr, the energy crisis, the extension of the suspension of the Stability Pact and land registry reform.
“We are faced with an unprecedented humanitarian crisis” and Italy “will do its part”. A situation that requires an "organizational effort" that "involves all levels of government", assured the Prime Minister.
The reform of the cadastre
“There is a profound misunderstanding, namely that since there is an emergency we must stop, nothing else needs to be done, no reforms, no changes, always standing still: this is not, it is not the reason why this government was born”, said Draghi, responding to the accusations of the Brothers of Italy on the reform of the land register, which he received yesterday the go-ahead with just one vote. The Premier then reiterated that “the intervention of the enabling law does not lead to any increase in taxation on regularly registered buildings. No one will pay taxes for this anymore. And I must say that this government has earned some credibility on the fact that it does not charge taxes, and how”.
“The reform – clarified the Prime Minister – serves to eliminate abuses and irregularities. The cadastral map is from 39, there were many things in between, including the Second World War. The introduction of the ICI, the Imu, the abolition of the ICI, the introduction of the Tasi have always been made on non-existent values, which make no sense, values of 33 years ago: this procedure of applying a fixed coefficient on values that make no sense must end, we want transparency".
Draghi: "VAT reduced by 5% on gas utilities".
To deal with the economic crisis, first experienced by the pandemic and then by the war in Ukraine, “I first made the figure of approx 16 billion euro as support intervention, which is expected to last until the second quarter of this year. We have provided for the zeroing of system charges for domestic and business electricity users, e the lowering of VAT to 5% for gas utilities. We have increased energy subsidies for the most disadvantaged families. And we have introduced a tax credit for energy-intensive industrial consumers equal to 20 percent of the increase in the cost of electricity supply in the first quarter of 2022,” the premier said.
"We are closely following the consequences of this crisis on the economy and on the financial situation of Italian citizens, the increase in the price of energy and the increase and availability of raw materials", assured Draghi.
“The Government cannot stop these events but we can move quickly and decisively as we have done and as we will continue to do defend the purchasing power of households and the competitiveness and survival of businesses,” he added.
Sanctions against Russia and the protection of families
“The sanctions will not last long and therefore to last must be sustainablei, we have no intention of derogating from the sanctions regime but we must do everything to make them sustainable internally". “Sanctions – he continued – serve to enforce the law maximum possible pressure on the Moscow government to cease hostilities and resume the path of diplomacy. Italy's commitment on the sanctions front was implemented with courage and fairness. All this commitment must be equal to the commitment to help families and businesses in this situation and above all to support the weakest”, Mario Draghi declared in the Chamber.
“We are all committed to intervening forcefully for protect purchasing power“, the intention is to “maintain a prudent budget policy that does not imply new significant permanent spending measures but allows all the interventions necessary to support the economy now, in the emergency,” Draghi said. “I'm also at work in the EU to ask the commission measures to help deal with the emergency of energy prices”, an issue “dealt with on Monday” with President Ursula von der Leyen “and also tomorrow” at the informal EU council meeting.
The Pnrr
Answering a question about the possible need to make changes to the Pnrr to deal with the economic consequences of the war, the Prime Minister said: ç European legislation provides for the request for a revision of the objectives of the member states which can ask for modifications – he underlined -. This is an exceptional event which requires a new negotiation process which it is too early to envisage. The government places all its attention on the implementation of the Pnrr. It is clear that many of the rules that have accompanied us in recent years need to be re-read", he observed, referring in particular to the EU stability pact.
Gas supplies
Speaking of gas, the Premier explained that “We are working to reduce dependence on Russian gas quickly. It is also necessary to do this because the share of Russian gas has increased a lot in the last 10-15 years, even after the invasion of the Crimea. This demonstrates an underestimation of foreign and international policy”.
“We are committed to diversify supplies and increase renewable sources: this is the only long-term strategy”, said Draghi, going on to go into the details of this plan: “We are increasing national gas production, with the prospect of reaching a domestic production quota of 5 billion cubic metres. The increase will take place by exploiting existing concessions, for the period 2022-2031. The new volumes of gas will be offered to industries, with a reserve of at least a third for small and medium-sized enterprises. We proceed with the filling of the storages to increase the degree of security of natural gas supplies for next autumn".
The Prime Minister assured that Italy is also moving at a diplomatic level to diversify supplies: "We focus both on maximization of regasification capacity existing, and on the acquisition of new regasification terminals. To have real energy security without a profound bureaucratic simplification, especially with regard to our objectives to increase production from renewable energies. The big obstacle today is represented by the authorization procedures, and if we don't overcome them we won't go anywhere”.
Dragons on wind and nuclear energy
The purpose of the Executive remains that of “respecting the objective of 70 gigawatts of renewables in 2026 if the authorizations are released. We are engaged in the production of several gigawatts of offshore wind thanks to a simplification of authorizations, there is also the use of biomethane with the goal of 200 tonnes in 2023 and an increase of 50 over the next three years. Research is essential in every area”.
Speaking of nuclear power, Draghi ensured that “the technical and economic commitment is concentrated on magnetic confinement fusion, which is currently the only possible way to build commercial reactors capable of providing electricity in an economic and sustainable way. The European fusion energy strategy is developed by the Eurofusion Consortium, which manages Euratom funds amounting to more than EUR 500 million for the period between 2021 and 2025. This consortium foresees the commissioning of the first prototype reactor at merger in 2025-28”.
Draghi: "Over 23 Ukrainians have arrived in Italy"
“The strength of a country of a democracy is also measured by the ability to defend the values of human dignity and democracy: for this reason my thoughts also go to the Russian citizens who are expressing their dissent against the invasion of Ukraine", said the Prime Minister, thanking the opposition "for the great show of unity" and the associations of volunteer for the commitment made in recent weeks in favor of Ukrainian refugees.
To deal with the current humanitarian crisis “the European Union has applied the directive on temporary protection for the first time since 2001 and this too bears witness to the compactness of the EU. A unity of intentions and actions that it is essential to maintain and that sees us at the forefront", recalled Draghi who then provided the first numbers on arrivals in Italy: "On 8 March in Italy there were 21.095 citizens of Ukraine arrived, today they are 23.872, mainly from the Italian-Slovenian border. Over 90% are women and children: yesterday 10.500 women, today 12. There were 2 men yesterday, 2.200 today, 8.500 children yesterday and 9.700 today. The flow is bound to increase”.
Regarding the health issue, “All refugees – added the Premier – either accept a swab every 48 hours or the vaccine. The masks are distributed in the places where vaccinations take place ".
Draghi: a job for refugees
“For Ukrainian refugees who want to work, we have foreseen a first measure that allows them on the basis of employment alone application for a residence permit and as an exception to the quotas of the work flow decree both autonomously and seasonally", explained Draghi "We have prepared - he added - the full integration of male and female students also in connection with the community of integrated compatriots in Italy. Reception, brotherhood and solidarity are demonstrated by the actions undertaken by Italy but much more will be necessary because perhaps the reaction does not last for days and months, perhaps it is longer”.
