31 August 2007

Council of Ministers: Budget and Infrastructure

Text:
After the summer holidays we need to get back to work. The work of the Council of Ministers and of CIPE has started a day early.
There was a lot of discussion about political issues and a little about administrative issues of limited importance.
On the political front, we have established a system for approving the budget by the end of the year. The budget is the occasion when we decide what to do with the money that comes into the State coffers.
From now to the end of September, thus, the Government will be busy deciding how to make use of the resources to make the Italians as happy as possible, especially those who have most need.
At the CIPE there was discussion only about the Ministry of Infrastructure investments. We presented 4 projects, all were approved, namely:
- The increase by a factor of 4 of the Verona – Fortezza railway line that will connect to Northern Europe. It’s a project costing 2,500,000,000 euro. We approved the project planning costs. I believe it is an important task and it is the best thing in the world to start a job with the “doing party”.
- In Umbria the Città di Castello – San Giustino Logistics Park at Città di Castello. There’s an industrial park that can work well if there are connections with the main systems of communication, especially the E45 and the railways. This project is an integrated communication system with the roads and the national railways.
- A section of the Naples metro.
- A section of the Milan metro, the first functioning stretch of the line 4.
In all, most of the 1,300,000,000 invested is to be spent on railways and metro. As Minister of Infrastructure I am proud, while in the newspaper there’s a continual discussion of everyday things and gossip. In silence I go on working for the interests of the country, week by week.
I hope that during the month of September, when the budget is discussed, the other partners of the coalition will commit to supporting constructive proposals. I’m sure that in this way, the citizens will find a bit of trust in those who, instead of being destructive, are working in the interests of everyone on the infrastructure, on solidarity, on development and on rigour.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information