“Emergency interventions of two billion euros I don’t know if they had ever seen each other before”. Giorgia Meloni announces at a press conference the measures contained in the first decree to face the emergency in Emilia Romagna. Satisfied, Bonaccini thanked the Council of Ministers for the “speed” and attention that the Government gave to the “unitary” document that the governor had sent and which listed everything that the various territorial bodies needed. “Some of the measures sent are included in those approved today. In this effectiveness we will find the ability to understand ourselves and be understood. There are people who have lost almost everything. One billion euros will be used only for mobility infrastructure». The two billion will come in the form of non-repayable loans, low-interest loans, national emergency funds, refinanced by €200 million, and guarantee funds. Not only money, but the decree provides for the suspension of deadlines relating to tax and social security obligations and payments, as well as the suspension of administrative deadlines until August 31 and the resumption of payments until November 20. The rule, reads in the explanatory report, applies to subjects who on May 4, 2023 had residence, registered office or operational headquarters in the territories indicated in the annex to the decree-law. For some municipalities, specific territorial districts (fractions) affected by flood events were identified. For these areas, the provisions of this article only apply to subjects who claim to have been injured by the events.
The decree also foresees the deferral for municipalities and provinces of the payment of mortgages on the Cassa depositi e prestiti. Utility payments already approved by the Regulatory Entity for Energy, Networks and Environment are suspended. For those who, on the other hand, had works covered by the 110% bonus in progress, the deadline for completing the works was postponed to December 31st. Hearings of civil and criminal cases have been postponed to July 31 if the party or the defender is a resident of the area affected by the flood. The deadlines for administrative, accounting, military and fiscal processes were also suspended from May 1 to July 31. While the deadlines for administrative procedures will be suspended from May 1 to August 31. Ad hoc rule also for Public Administration employees. If a civil servant cannot go to work, he will still be paid. While there is the possibility of accessing competition recovery tests for residents of flooded areas. In addition to the package of aid and guarantee funds, payments related to the annuity due to the Chambers of Commerce for accounting and corporate compliance, but also for the payment of mortgage installments and loans of all kinds, were suspended.
During the Council of Ministers, the figure of the commissioner was also discussed: meanwhile, the extraordinary commissioner for drought Nicola Dell’Acqua was in charge of verifying the state of efficiency and maintenance of the rainwater drainage works carried out throughout the national territory. The governor of Emilia Romagna, Stefano Bonaccini, asked for the appointment of a commissioner for the reconstruction: “I hope it will happen within a few weeks”. For the time being, Bonaccini is the extraordinary commissioner for the emergency in his region and Governor Francesco Acquaroli is for the Marches. However, a “third” figure is being sought to coordinate the reconstruction. Another urgent need is to “debureaucratize”. And, in this sense, article 140 of the new Public Contracts Code, relating to “extreme urgency and civil protection procedures”, will come into force immediately, which provides for the possibility of “immediately ordering the execution of works within a period of 500,000 euros or whatever is essential to remove the state from prejudice to public and private security”. In the meantime, the search continues, the 15th body is found. One hundred drainage pumps in action in the affected areas and more than 900 technicians support staff from external companies engaged in restoring the telephone and internet networks. While the work continues, two investigations have been opened in Ravenna and Forlì on the hypothesis of culpable disaster against unknown persons. Ursula von der Leyen expected on Thursday, the government is also thinking about the EU solidarity fund to deal with the damage.
Source: IL Tempo

Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.