“There is a sense of concern, weariness, distrust in the country: it is not just an economic fact, but a cultural, civil and social one. But I am even more certain than in February that not only can Italy make it but that it will make it without a shadow of a doubt. The word for 2015 is the same as for 2014: 'rhythm', giving a sense of change and urgency, doing everything to ensure that Italy regains its role in the world”. Matteo Renzi closes 2014 with the traditional end-of-year press conference, looks to the new year with reasonable optimism and clarifies the Jobs Act: “I was the one who proposed removing the specification on state that rule: the Jobs act is not meant for this. There is already in Parliament, in the Senate, an instrument for regulating relations in the public sector, it is the Madia bill”.
While there is still a lot of controversy over the possibility of extending the new contract with increasing protections also to new jobs in the PA, Renzi opens the year-end press conference by thanking the rescuers of the damaged ferry, remembering the five victims and addressing all the hot topics of the politics. From the election of the President of the Republic to the Italicum, to privatisations. In 2015 we will proceed on Poste but on Eni "necessary to reflect". And of himself he says: “I feel like Al Pacino in 'Any Given Sunday', the coach who has the task of telling him that they can do it. And I am convinced that Italy can do it” . And again: "Better to be judged arrogant than a deserter".
STATE AND JOBS ACT
“We had to change the regime of private workers and we did it – added the Prime Minister -. In my opinion, the public sector system needs to be changed, and I am radical on this issue, but not necessarily to apply the same rules that we have envisaged for the private sector".
For example, Renzi specified, “we cannot exclude the introduction of poor performance or a greater say in the judges on dismissals compared to what we have foreseen for the private sector. Those who don't work because they choose not to work, the so-called slackers, must be able to be sent home. Those who steal and those who shamefully absent themselves from the workplace must be fired, perhaps by having their time stamped by others. Those who work well, on the other hand, must be rewarded more. I think that from February the Senate Budget Committee will take up these issues again by discussing the Madia bill". The argument, predicts the prime minister, "will take shape towards February-March". The process on cuts to municipal utilities (from "8 to XNUMX" was the slogan of the Renzi government) will again take shape in the context of the Madia bill.
“EUROPE MUST CHANGE PARADIGM”
As regards relations with Brussels, according to the Premier, “Italy must carry out structural reforms: we have them clearly in mind, we are pushing them forward. But these alone are not enough to really start again. There is a need for a paradigm shift at the European level. This must be the central theme of next year. In 2014 we started again, the challenge for 2015 is to get back to racing”.
“There are all the conditions to succeed by remaining within the Treaties – he added -. In the Italian semester we changed at least the vocabulary: when we started the term 'flexibility' seemed like a dirty word. The Juncker plan is a first step, but it is by no means sufficient. If we don't change, not only will the Eurosceptic party grow, but it will also risk taking over countries with a long and important tradition”.
“QUIRINAL? NO PROBLEM FOR THE MAJORITY”
As for the next Head of State, Renzi does not play the "guess who game". "The legislature will last until 2018, I'm not worried about the holding of Parliament, there are the numbers to elect the President of the republic if and when there is a need for this passage - said Renzi who is not afraid "the 220 francs tirantori, there will be no ”, in contrast to the gloomy predictions of Pd senator Ugo Sposetti. “If and when Napolitano decides to leave, he will have the right indeed the duty on our part to receive a thank you. Up to that moment any discussion is in vain, from that moment we are in a position to be able to identify a successor”. “I have great respect for the judiciary, it is serious, it does not interfere with political events, there is no possibility for a political class that does its job to be conditioned by any external intervention. I don't see any, I am sure that the election of the president will not be affected by this”.
