I’m publishing my interview with la Repubblica about halting increases in motorway tolls.

ADP: For years the motorway tolls have been increasing and no one has been raising the point. All the increases have been recognised even though the investments have been missing. The causes can be discovered in the way these monopolies were handed over, and also in the behaviour of the parties, including those in the majority coalition, who are recipients of generous donations, no doubt that they are legal, handed out by Autostrade on the eve of previous elections. To increase the tolls each year was a way of proceeding that was never written anywhere. The tolls have gone up even in the absence of those duties that the management are bound to carry out, that we have valued to be about 3,800,000,000 Euro.

Repubblica: What do you think Minister? Yet more legal proceedings?
ADP: Do they want to go ahead? To have a war with me? Let them do just that. Do you know how many cases I’ve seen in my career that started off and then went crooked? Think of one above all: Clean Hands started off exactly liked that, from the denunciation of a journalist who wrote an article that was not pleasing. That triggered the action for defamation and I went right to the bottom of it.

Repubblica: According to ISTAT statistics in the10 years from 1997, the tolls have increased by 31.4% compared to inflation of 23%. That surely is someone’s fault.
ADP: The fault is in the way chosen to do the privatization, transferring such an important monopoly. The procedures should have been flanked by a much more complex formula to revise the agreements. And I have done nothing more than to intervene in the system of concessions.

Repubblica: That 3,800,000,000 Euro that is missing, what should it have been used for?
ADP: For example to carry out the work to improve the network: in certain cases we’re talking of the lack of the construction of a fourth lane or of important exit roads. Work that could improve the life of the motorist. We are talking of a monopoly where the concessionaires have asked for and obtained almost everything they asked for . That’s enough now.

Repubblica: Have you encountered resistance within the government? Basically, has it been difficult to put a stop to the increases?
ADP: There was a great moment of confrontation with the executive. Anyway the whole government came round to being behind my decisions. And no one has questioned my approach. The problem is certainly not there…..

Repubblica: Well where is it then?
ADP: Most of the resistance is hidden in the party system which has risen up as a result of pressure from this lobby.

Repubblica: How can that be explained?
ADP: Many parties have been generously financed during the last elections…

Repubblica: You are talking of Autostrade, that gave different generous contributions, absolutely legal, to the parties. With rare exceptions: for example the Green Party and the PRC refused the contributions.
ADP: Yes. They even sent a donation to me. But I sent it back.