13 February 2007

Stop charging for mobile top ups

I'm publishing the statement from Salvatore Raiti, an Italia dei Valori member of the Lower House of Parliament, about charges for mobile phone top ups. A statement that I share in wholeheartedly. The interests of the citizens are always to be put before those of the lobbies.

"In the Bersani decree about liberalization there is an important cut to the additional costs on telephone top ups. This is the first and most obvious signal in contrast to the powers that be in favour of the rights of the consumer.
Now it seems that this measure is about to undergo a swift stop because of a possible amendment to article 1 of the decree, currently being examined by the Productive Activities Commission.
Tomorrow, 13 February, by midday we should know which of the colleagues in the Ulivo have placed themselves against the interests of the citizens, who have already paid too much for an unjustified and disproportionate tax, imposed by the telephone companies, who have hidden behind incomprehensible technical problems so as not to rapidly adjust to the measure.
My invitation to my honourable colleagues, whose names are not known, is to correct their position in time to be fair to the consumers, who must remain our absolute priority. To put off even by just a few weeks, if it were to go well – but it could be a question of months – the date for this measure to become effective, a measure that could facilitate the citizens, to meet the needs of the big multinationals would be inconceivable.
I appeal, as a secondary point, to the good sense of my colleague Lulli, the presenter of the decree, to whom I ask to use less elasticity in evaluating the motivations that are expressed by the telephone companies however justifiable they are. This must not be put before the rights of the citizens.
In this case, their right, anyway recognised by a broad consensus of Parliament, Government and Authorities, is to stop supporting a mechanism that is perverse and iniquitous.
I ask my honourable colleagues to be coherent. We have got a commitment with the citizens. Let us maintain that commitment! !"
Salvatore Raiti

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Economy