"As you see, I look tired and that's because we've had a really long Council of Ministers today. It started this morning at 8:30. Now that I'm talking to you it's 7:30 pm and the meeting has just finished.
We have got to the heart of the problem: we have established the amount of the "tesoretto", decided how to allocate the money and we have planned the work for the next finance law, the one that will define how to manage the country in 2008. The Council of Ministers was preceded by the CIPE {Interministerial Committee for Economic Programming}.
First of all we have taken note that much more money than expected has flowed into the coffers of the tax authorities and that we have gone beyond the parameters of the European Union, the Maastricht parameters. The first measure, using about 5,000,000,000 euro brings us back inside those parameters, to be on track with the European Union, by reducing the public debt.
We have used a further 6,500,000,000 euro in a new economic measure, after last year's measure to cover investments and this year's current spending. I believe we have done this responsibly, but you can be the judge. We have allocated this as follows:
- 2,300,000,000 for social measures
- 2,300,000,000 for development
- 1,900,000,000 for security
Specifically 1,500,000,000 will go to increase the lowest pensions starting from September; 200,000,000 will be used to cover the social security payments during the period of university studies; 200,000,000 for measures to cushion the effects of unemployment.
600,000,000 for figurative contributions and of this at least 300 for young people and 100,000,000 for the youth policies for employment; 300,000,000 for increasing the productivity wages. The increases in the lowest pensions will come forward to September of this year giving everyone straight away about 300-400 euro each.
The 2,300,000,000 for development will mostly be used by my Ministry, for Anas and railways.
I have fought to get this money for new activity, and it doesn't mean laying down more cement but it means identifying the infrastructures that are necessary for primary needs.
We have turned upside down the tendencies of the last legislature in which 9% went to the South and the rest to the North. Now the distribution will be 50% - 50% and that's fair: there's only one Italy. Then there's 1,900,000,000 for security overall: refinancing, measures to provide help and solidarity abroad, and let this be clear, this is not military spending; resources for the Fire Brigades, and the Police Forces.
Finally, we approved one of my documents: the DPEF Infrastrutture (download the document, download the attachments): I don't need 200,000,000,000 and it's no use fooling the citizens. With 32,000,000,000 in 5 years we can put in place those priority activities that relate to everyone in the country, region by region.
By even giving private entities the possibility to invest, we can create the infrastructure that is really necessary, in the way of roads and above all railways to which two thirds of the investments will go. We truly want to give
a practical alternative to the use of the car. Thus these are the measures for solidarity and development. Today has been a day of responsibility of a government that is often accused of not doing anything and about which I have had reservations, for example on the topic of justice.
Now we hope that the majority in Parliament, with the same responsibility and unanimity will know how to take this moment, to pay back and to claim back the trust of public opinion that wants facts and not words, results and not
chatter.
Today has been a day of facts and results."