Great works, finally we leave. In the Def approved by the Government, which will bring the GDP to +4,5% and the public debt to over 158% of the GDP (never so high for 100 years), a further budget gap of 40 billion is expected, which in addition to being used to support enterprises will serve to support development. Part of this money will go to unblock infrastructure works for a total value of 66 billion: the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Enrico Giovannini chose the commissioners in the Dpcm already passed to the scrutiny of Parliament. They are the ones who, overcoming the usual bureaucratic procedures, will accelerate the realization of the works considered a priority. The money is there now. There are 58 works: 14 road infrastructure (10,9 billion), 16 railway (46,2 billion), 12 water, 3 port (1,7 billion), 12 public safety interventions (half a billion in total), in addition to line C of the Rome subway which alone accounts for 5,8 billion and which will be entrusted to the former CEO of Rfi Maurizio Gentile. The chosen commissioners, who will divide the tasks, are Massimo Simonini, CEO of Anas, Raffaele Celia, head of the Center Area also of Anas, Vincenzo Marzi of Anas Puglia and Ilaria Coppa, for the road part.
On the railways, however, the personalities indicated by Giovannini are Vincenzo Macello, Rfi's investment manager, and then Rfi's CEO Vera Fiorani, with Paola Firmi, Mariano Cocchetti and Roberto Pagone, all from the group that manages the Italian rail network. The works go from North to South, no one will be left behind: it takes too long to mention them all but among the most expensive and important are the Tyrrhenian-Adriatic road connection from Grosseto to Fano, the Ragusa-Catania, the redevelopment of the Salaria state road, the Brescia-Verona-Padova high-speed train, the Venice-Trieste, Genoa-Ventimiglia, Salerno-Reggio Calabria, Naples-Bari, Palermo-Catania-Messina railways, and the upgrading of the Rome railway ring. A second tranche of works to be unlocked will be indicated at a later time, by including some projects in the Recovery Plan, which will be presented to the European Commission by the end of the month. An additional 50 billion should be drawn from European funds for major works, with an eye to the South.
The power assigned to the commissioners, with a view to proceeding quickly, is very broad: not only will they have all the (abundant) resources necessary, but in the intentions of the Ministry they will also be able to derogate from the law in the field of public contracts and to operate, they will only need an initial green light from the Regions concerned, without then having to submit to the subsequent procedures of specific authorizations, clearance, with the sole exclusion relating to protected assets. A "Genoa model" which it is hoped will bear fruit similar to those produced by the reconstruction of the bridge over the Polcevera, after so many false starts. A second list of works is expected shortly. Meanwhile, the ministry is working on the list of those to be included in the Recovery Plan to be presented to the European Commission by the end of April.
