The parties find an agreement on the reform of public funding intended for them. The cardinal principle of the lightning-fast agreement between Pd, Pdl and Third Pole is that the amount of electoral reimbursements is not reduced by a cent. No waiver even regarding the last tranche relating to the 2008 political elections - around 100 million euros in all - whose collection, scheduled for July, is only postponed.
The only ones news arrive on the front of controls and on that of sanctions. Thus will continue to flow that river of money that today allows the Italian parties to collect from the state more than four times what they spend. For these anomalies yesterday our country was beaten by Brussels, who called for a change in the law.
The scandals related to the crafty treasurers of Margherita e Alloy, together with the approach of the administrations, have however induced the technicians of the parties to agree on some changes to the law, which "it is proposed could become a amendment to the tax law currently under discussion in the Chamber - reads a joint note - in order to become law within a few days".
"IS' the usual facade accordicchio – commented the leader of the IDV, Antonio di Pietro – as it does not envisage any serious and concrete intervention to send a message of rethinking and industrious repentance on the part of the parties. The current agreement on many aspects seems to solve nothing”.
Let's see in detail what the changes are coming:
THE COMMISSION FOR TRANSPARENCY IS BORN
The new Commission for the transparency and control of the budgets of political parties will be composed of the president of the Court of Auditors, the president of the Council of State and the first president of the Court of Cassation. The parties will be obliged by July 15 of each year to deliver all the documentation on their budgets to the Commission, which after carrying out the checks will send a report to the presidents of the Chamber and Senate by September 30.
TIGHTENING ON SANCTIONS
Should any irregularities emerge from the checks - which will start from the 2011 accounts -, the parties will be punished with administrative sanctions "equal to three times the extent of the irregularities themselves".
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE PARTIES, REVISION OBLIGATION AND PUBLICATION ON THE INTERNET
To make the management of funds even more transparent, it will become mandatory for parties to obtain certification of their financial statements by an auditing firm registered with Consob. The data will then have to be published on the internet: both on the websites of the individual parties and on that of the Chamber.
INVESTMENTS ONLY IN ITALIAN GOVERNMENT BONDS
The parties will be able to invest the funds collected only in bonds issued by the Treasury. No more hijacking attempts in Cyprus or Tanzania.
DONATIONS: PUBLICATION OBLIGATION FOR THOSE ABOVE 5 THOUSAND EUROS
All donations collected by parties that exceed the ceiling of five thousand euros must be made public. As regards the outgoing money - those destined by the parties to entities, foundations or companies - the Commission will have the power to control movements exceeding 50 euros gross per year.
