16 August 2006

The interests of citizens

Gian Maria Gros-Pietro, the president of Autostrade, gave a long interview that appeared with big head lines in il Corriere della Sera last Sunday.
In the interview, Gros-Pietro emphasises how the merger represents a great opportunity for the country.
I have great respect for Gros-Pietro and I esteem him. But I have a different view. The opportunity is above all an economic one for the Autostrade company and perhaps it can indirectly be an opportunity for the country. It’s a question of private interests not interests of the State. They are interests that in part can conflict with public interests.
In particular this occurs if the investments which have been planned to modernise the motorway network are not carried out. This is the current situation. The Italian motorways are not a cow to be milked for the distribution of dividends.
Gros-Pietro states “The Autostrade company cannot avoid using all available methods to protect the shareholders”. The same is true for the Government in relation to the citizens. The network is essential for the growth of the Italian economy. Its development and the regulation of the tariffs to reflect the real management costs are two topics for discussion. I will start such discussions as soon as possible with all the concessionaires.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Economy