"None of our requests have been accepted”. The prime minister said, Giuseppe Conte, in the night press conference convened to take stock of the very long afternoon summit with the top management of ArcelorMittal, more and more determined to abandon the former Ilva of Taranto.
The Government has proposed to the French-Indian group of restore the penal shield for the implementation of the environmental plan, but it was not enough for the iron and steel giant. Until yesterday, ArcelorMittal had indicated precisely the cancellation of immunity as the only cause of his willingness to step back. But now raise the bar: in addition to the shield, to stay he wants to impose even 5 thousand redundancies, i.e. killing half of the workforce of the Taranto steelworks. On the other hand, in the event of closure, the jobs at risk would reach 15 – induced activities included – and Italy would lose a factory on which approximately one point of the national GDP depends, directly and indirectly.
Conte asked the top management of the company to update in two days for a new proposal, but at this point it is clear that the parties are preparing for the eventuality of a judicial war. Italy could bring a billion-dollar lawsuit against ArcelorMittal for failure to comply with the contracts signed following the award of a public tender.
However, this would only be the last resort. The Prime Minister is determined to do everything to mend the relationship with the French-Indian giant, because this is "the most concrete way" to solve the problem. In fact, if we ended up in the case, the Government would still be forced to find an improbable plan B for the former Ilva. According to rumors circulating in Palazzo Chigi, no one intends to resort to the firepower of the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, so the only way would be the search for a new consortium of investors. All over again, in short.
Meanwhile, the mobilizations of the workers of the former Ilva continue. There Fim Cisl proclaimed a 24-hour mobilization starting at 15pm on Wednesday, while Fiom e Uilm have announced that the steel workers will fold their arms for the whole day today.
