25 May 2006

Italy at risk and electoral opposition

The Gross Domestic Product of the Euroland countries will grow in 2006 by 2.7% and in 2007 by 2.1%. For Italy it will grow by 1.4% and 1.3% respectively in the same 2 years. If there are no structural interventions Italy will have a budget deficit of 4.2% and 4.6% in the next 2 years. These are the estimates of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

These are worrying estimates that we have been expecting for months and discussing on this site. If we consider the election promises of the CDL about ICI {Imposta Comunale Immobili = local tax on housing}, taxes on rubbish collection, and the declarations of the former President of the Council about the legality in certain circumstances of not paying the taxes, it’s understandable that we have scraped the bottom of the barrel. With the CDL in government we would not have avoided economic bankruptcy.

Many CDL people are still shouting and denying reality. This reality is outlined by international institutions. Can I remind these people that the election campaign is over. Now the country has to be governed. The moment is critical. The opposition cannot simply sit back and say the figures are false. What figures? Those provided by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development? By ISTAT {Istituto Nazionale di Statistica = Italian National Statistics Office}? By the European Community, the Italian Trade Commission?

Even the members of the opposition are paid by the citizens to contribute to the development of the country. I invite them to do this and to bring constructive criticism to the activity of the Prodi Government.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Economy