Everybody at home for another three weeks, i.e. until Sunday 3 Mayand with few exceptions. The government's prudent approach was confirmed in the new Dpcm presented by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte at a press conference, which replaces and extends the one that expired on April 13, Easter Monday. Stationery e bookshops (but not in Lombardy for an ordinary contrary of the Region), laundries, shops they sell clothes for babies and children, professional studios, beverage dispensing machines, purchased online without limitations: these are the activities that will start again from 14 April, in addition to the confirmation of the previous exceptions (supermarkets, pharmacies, newsagents, etc.), to which are added some production activities linked to healthcare, pharmaceutical and agri-food supply chains, forestry (cutting trees) and other forestry activities.
"We are extending the restrictive measures until May 3, a difficult but necessary decision for which I assume all political responsibility", said Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte tonight at a press conference, speaking at Palazzo Chigi a few hours after the agreement was reached fromEurogroup on a 500 billion plan to respond to the coronavirus emergency. "The epidemiological curve is encouraging, our measures are giving results, but we cannot frustrate the efforts made so far", added the premier. In the afternoon the news had also arrived that the management of Phase 2, the one that will see coexistence with the virus and therefore the reorganization of the socio-economic activities that will gradually reopen all, was entrusted to an expert manager like Vittorio Colao, former global CEO of Vodafone.
On the European question Conte reiterated that "the ESM is not an adequate tool for this crisis, it is totally inadequate and insufficient", and that the Government is still fighting to explore new instruments, such as the famous Eurobonds. “This new tool must be immediately implementable and we will fight for it to the end. An important result was achieved yesterday at the Eurogroup: it was put in black and white that a completely new credit line could be opened, without conditionality. The community response is either ambitious or it isn't”, added the prime minister who then lashed out at the opposition. “No more fake news”thundered the Prime Minister explicitly addressing Matteo Salvini and Giorgia Meloni. "I am convinced that we will be able to convince everyone that a common response is the only way to restart strongly", concluded Conte, not distinguishing between the first version of the Mes and the unconditional health-saving fund currently available and effectively leaning on the demagogic positions of the Five Stars with great discontent from the Pd.
Answering questions from journalists connected via the web, Conte also mentioned the proposal that emerged today for a Covid Tax, a sort of mini-patrimonial, hypothesized by the Pd as a solidarity contribution from incomes exceeding 80.000 euros per year. "It was not discussed in the government meeting and personally I am against it", the premier cut short. There will be a way to talk about it.
When will construction sites start again?