Green light from the Senate Chamber to the decree on payments of the public administration. There were 247 votes in favour, no votes against, 7 abstentions. Now the provision will return to the House for the third reading. Final approval is expected within this week.
The text releases 40 billion euros in two years to pay off part of the debts contracted by the public administration in the past with private companies. An injection of liquidity into the system decided during the weeks of the Monti government which led to the revision of the 2013 deficit estimate from 2,4 to 2,9%.
In the morning, the summary amendment of the rapporteurs, Giorgio Santini (Pd) and Antonio D'Alì (Pdl), already approved by the Budget Committee, and two further amendments presented by the rapporteurs in the Chamber were also approved. There are several changes to the text : from the possibility that in 2014 the stock of debts will be paid in full through advances from the national and international credit system with a State guarantee, to the exemption for Municipalities from paying the Imu on the properties they own, up to a six-month extension of the powers of Equitalia regarding the collection of the contested taxes on behalf of the Municipalities.
In the passage of the decree to the Senate, 400 million euros of funds intended for companies to finance some interventions in favor of the Municipalities also jumped. The fund to pay the debts of local authorities is thus reduced by 200 million in 2013 and another 200 million in 2014. "It was a choice of the government", explained Santini, adding that "the fund will be fleshed out in 2014".
