9 October 2008
Save the Managers
In a situation in which the world economy is on its knees for the speculation and scurrilous behaviour of an entrepreneurial, political and financial class that has acted with purely speculative aims, the measure, connected to the “Save Alitalia” legal decree that opens the doors to impunity for who has verifiable responsibility in relation to these facts, it represents a gesture that undermines the country’s credibility and its capacity to recover.
I am publishing the video and the transcript of my intervention in the Chamber of Deputies this morning.
”I maintain that the President of the Council has the duty to come to Parliament and that he doesn’t have the right to go off to «il Bagaglino». Thus I believe that it is right to deplore the behaviour of that President of the Council who instead of coming to Parliament loses time by going to «il Bagaglino». In such a sensitive moment for the Italian situation.
We of Italia dei Valori consider this measure for what it is. We cannot even judge it because it doesn’t exist. Is there anyone in this Chamber who has read this measure? We are giving an expression of trust to a measure whose basic outline we have to read in the newspapers. Let’s say everything, then: in recent months the Government has disciplined everything with legal decrees, establishing even measures that serve some of them. They haven’t yet done a publicity spot for legal decrees. In fact, up until now, in reference to this legal decree, it is just a matter of an advert. How much money has the government paid out to meet the needs that have been spelled out? There’s not one euro. So it has been said: let’s settle everything – this is the first guarantee that has been pronounced - , in fact, let’s reinforce at a State level, with a hundred thousand euro, the guarantee for all current accounts. I’m wondering with what money? If it is true, as it is, that Minister Tremonti has stated that Italy is the third country in the world classification as regards the public debt and if it is true, as it is, that it cannot allow itself any further euro of deficit, with what money is he going to settle all this? Is it true or false that up until yesterday we have been told that for the banks there has been the possibility to operate because in the same context, an interbank fund has been set up to guarantee current accounts? Today we discover that that fund is such a nominal fund that it’s also necessary to have a State guarantee. But the State guarantee with what money is it given? Without setting apart even one euro.
So it’s a question, one more time, of an advert, done without money.
The second guarantee that we have been given is as follows: it has been said that if the banks should happen to be in difficulty, the State will build up its capital, money coming in from tax revenue, and if it is already in deficit and cannot spend a lira? One more time it is a matter of phrases blowing on the wind.
It has been said, if by chance then, the companies have no funds, the Bank of Italy will take responsibility to put liquidity into the banking system. With what money could the Bank of Italy do that, if it doesn’t even have what is needed to settle the State deficit? We believe that in response to the hypocrisies of “the day after” it’s necessary not to take notice and that it’s necessary to look at concrete things: this is why we are going and we want to go from the words to the actions, Signor Minister, this time I am addressing you who are not present!
You have said that Ecofin has advised us not to give payments – this is the word that you used – or unmerited fees to the managers. We have to stop saying one thing and doing another: if it is true, as it is, that article 7 bis of the Alitalia legal decree sets out that those who commit crimes cannot be pursued, if there is solely a declaration of insolvency and not of bankruptcy, this means that with words you say that you want to respect the Ecofin recommendations, but in your actions you are adopting, with this legal decree, measures that assure the lack of responsibility of the various managers who in recent years have reduced the situation of the society to this low point like this.
Basically, you are saying today that you want to reinforce, by giving money to the banks, the guarantee for the deposits that the citizens have with the banks. To which banks? With article 7 bis of the legal decree mentioned before, you are guaranteeing impunity even to that Geronzi, Chair of Mediobanca (Applause from the deputies of the group Italia dei Valori), that is, you are guaranteeing impunity to one of those people who is under investigation for the Cirio disaster, and the Parmalat disaster among others. In other words, exactly for those disasters that are a result of that creative accounting of recent years. This is the difference between the words and the actions: you in your words say that you want to meet the repercussions of the financial crisis in our country by giving stability, liquidity and trust. If only! We too would like to take steps to meet you with these commitments that you have, but the legal decree adopted yesterday does not set apart a euro, in fact it establishes that the State will pay everything, but with the money of others. The only thing that it has produced is a great feast of the “hour after” at “il Bagaglino”, while of concrete facts, no intervention has been done for the families, for the small and medium sized companies, to give back transparency to this finance market. In fact, the only intervention carried out has been to guarantee the impunity of those who are the cause of these collapses To me it seems that between the words and the actions there is a great difference.
So we repeat that we are in agreement with that government that would one day decide to do something for the Italians. But once more, today with a legal decree, you have managed to provide not a solution for the Italians, but an advertising spot to just sell yourselves. (Applause from the deputies of the group Italia dei Valori) .”
Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in
Economy
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6 October 2008
Let the government guarantee savers
Western banks are collapsing one after the other, even the ones that are the most solid and that have existed for centuries. In this financial storm that doesn’t seem to stop, some European governments are reassuring their savers with important declarations and solid actions.
Ireland was the first to guarantee total cover for deposits to avoid the spread of a collective fear and to avoid the worsening of the financial situation. Today, the German government decided to follow the Irish one and to guarantee all deposits of private savers in German banks. The decision of the government of Angela Merkel’s executive was announced by the spokesperson of the Finance Minister Tosten Albig.
The Berlusconi government must reassure savers and give stability to our finance system. The President of the Council has the obligation to ensure the full coverage of bank savings without placing any limit otherwise what could happen from this point on will be taken for granted. That is a massive flight of savings from Italy to the countries that offer a total guarantee for savers with the resulting crash of our banking system.
Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in
Economy
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22 September 2008
Alitalia: Courageous employees
Photo: IlSole24Ore
At last. The extraordinary commissioner, Augusto Fantozzi yesterday decided to open a public competition for the purchase of the Italian flagship. It’s what he should have done before. It’s really the moment to say: “Better late than never.”
It was a duty-bound choice, an obligatory route that we of Italia dei Valori have been requesting for some time. In my opinion, the choice to put Alitalia on the market and the responsibility that the pilots, the flight attendants and the land-based staff want to take in becoming part of the management, shows that a solution can be found.
Yesterday, after the government’s umpteenth declaration of closure towards every other solution to save the company apart from that proposed by Cai, a closed position reinforced by the Ministers Sacconi and Matteoli, I had stated that the Berlusconi executive must not blackmail the workers and behave with Alitalia like the mafia people do with their victims.
The government’s insistence in continuing with this way of behaving constitutes a disturbance in the sale as big as a house and it has evident repercussions for civil, accounting and criminal responsibility. Italia dei Valori is formally asking Antonio Catricalà, the head of the Competition and Market Regulator, to do his duty and to immediately start proceedings to protect the market and to protect transparency. The premier cannot in fact continue to state that the company is on the brink of collapse, as it discourages the passengers from continuing to fly with Alitalia
If this is not disturbing the market, tell me then when it is? Anyway, in this affair, Berlusconi has major responsibility: he wanted to sell off the flagship company. The idea of the government wanting to insist on the Cai proposals, in fact, for me is the obvious demonstration that Berlusconi wants to favour his friends, the usual local wide boys. He made an electoral promise that was then shown to be a swindle to the detriment of the workers and of the economy of the country.
As I have mentioned, today the union representatives of the pilots, the cabin crew and the land-based staff, in a press conference at which I participated, announced their intention to make available a part of their salaries and the whole amount of the final lump sum payments, for a total value of 340 million euro, even more than double the sum offered by Colaninno for the relaunch of Alitalia. This initiative demonstrates that the Alitalia workers do not want to abandon the company, but are ready to risk their own money so that it can continue to fly. I can foresee the possibility of arriving at a solution that is satisfactory both for the company and the employees. At this point the government must accept its own responsibility.
Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in
Economy
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Economy and Infrastructure
I’m publishing a part of my speech on the 11 points of Italia dei Valori’s political programme dealt with at Vasto: economy and infrastructure.
”We have already said and we will repeat: what’s needed is less bureaucracy for the companies and a greater decrease in the taxation for investment in research.
On the one hand what is needed is a more massive liberalisation of those public services that can be supplied in a non-essential competitive situation and on the other hand a direct management of those services that by definition cannot be carried out except in a monopoly situation. I believe, so that we understand each other, in the privatization of rail transport (that can be carried out by more than one company) but not in the privatization of the railway network (given that the rail track where the trains have to go is just one). I am thinking of the privatization of the service of rubbish collection (that can be carried out by more than one competitor) but not for the management of water (given that the pipes and mechanisms are just those that exist). And so on.
Now allow me also to summarize here even in a short version what I have said in the name of IDV, to the meeting at Cernobbio last week: we don’t want to block economic and infrastructure development. We don’t want to align ourselves with the paranoia of the hard core: “No to everything” but neither can we accept that in the name of the politics of action, that the only thing that is done is that the Italians are taken for a ride.
Having said this at the beginning, we know that there is no convergence between the infrastructure that is needed by the country and the resources needed to create this. And for this reason we have developed a “vision of priorities” that we want to use for discussions without prejudice both with the allies of the PD as well as with the political forces of the government majority.
First of all, the work that has been started and is in progress must be completed and that is among others to avoid even throwing away the work done and the money spent. I am referring to the Mestre bypass, to the doubling of the Naples-Turin rail track, but also to the numerous bridges, tunnels and various other work that is unfinished here and there in every corner of the country, sometimes because they have run out of money, sometimes because of difficulties in the planning or the execution of the plans, and also at times because of exhausting political blocks and polemics.
Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in
Economy
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28 August 2008
The stricken Alitalia
Yesterday I made some declarations to the press agencies on the Alitalia situation. I have tackled the issue in different articles on this blog, that you will find links to at the bottom of this post.
The Alitalia issue represents a colossal fraud that at times during these sad months for the company has bordered on the illegal, as ell as causing to plummet the already hardly rosy image of this country to the lowest ever. You will remember that I defined the interference of Silvio Berlusconi on the Air France - Alitalia negotiations as a true act of insider trading.
During the election campaign, Silvio Berlusconi promised to put the flagship company back on its feet and that he had an all-Italian consortium ready and willing to make the purchase within a time frame of 4 weeks as was written in Il Giornale. Here too he was lying. But that lie cost the Italian people dearly, also the Alitalia employees, badly advised by their “protectors”, the Trades Unions. After taking from the citizens 600 billion in old lire to pour into the flagship company, today Berlusconi is an interested promoter of a new company that at zero cost will exploit the branding and the routes of the Alitalia shell, by offloading the debts onto the State and onto a plethora of tiny shareholders who will lose everything.
Thanks to Berlusconi 7,000 employees will lose their jobs, a few more than the number worked out by Air France (there was talk of 2,100 in excess). What will happen is simple, one more time, the debts of Alitalia and of the Bad Company will fall onto the citizens, and at the same time a new company useful to Berlusconi and his bosom pals will be born.
But the government is insisting and Minister of the Economy, Tremonti thunders: “They left us with two disasters: Naples and Alitalia. The first one was resolved by Berlusconi at the end of July, tomorrow he will resolve Alitalia.” For Naples, it’s not enough to say “it is resolved” after clearing two roads in the city centre and furthermore the political responsibilities for that situation caused by a decade of alternating governments has never been tackled by removing the political causes. The second, Alitalia, it is this government that has made it worse and will make even worse still, at the expense of the citizens.
I am not against the fact of the company staying “Italian” as some people think, as long as it is done by respecting the rules of a free market and while respecting the interests of the Italian citizens and not a restricted circle of privileged folk.
Read also:
Alitalia: miracle postponed
The nonexistent bid
At the Country’s expense
Alitalia: basta illudere i cittadini
Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in
Economy
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8 August 2008
The 98 billion that has disappeared
On Tuesday 5 August, I presented to the President of the Council of Ministers, a question requiring a written response. The question relates to the tax evasion of 98 billion euro, (news of which was available in the previous legislature) by numerous concessionaires of the State Monopoly with authorisation to install and manage slot machines.
All the slot machines in existence on the national territory should have been connected to Sogei, while according to the investigation carried out by the Finance Police it has been verified that the concessionary companies have not complied and that a large number of the machines were not connected. Only if it is impossible to connect is there a forfeit tax, but it seems that this exception has become almost the rule and to guard against this behaviour a fine was brought in of 50 euro for each hour of non-connection. Unfortunately it seems that the State Monopoly, that should have been collecting the fines, has never applied the sanctions. Another source of worry is the news that alluded to the fact that some of the companies with concessions are connected to organised crime.
From swift recovery actions and by correctly managing these concessions there could emerge resources to tackle the numerous economic-social issues that relate to the future of the country and the current living conditions of the young, of workers and of pensioners. Unfortunately the government does not see the need to promote timely clarification nor for recovery actions to be put in place to recover the unpaid money.
Read also: 98,000,000,000 tax request
Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in
Economy
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4 August 2008
The absence of the Consob and the Bank of Italy
Where were the Consob and the Bank of Italy when the financial scandals were happening? They haven’t convinced us that they didn’t know anything, but we are convinced that there were conniving even if there was no complicity.
We of Italia dei Valori have prepared a package of laws that relates to savings and credit and aims to find the funds to relaunch the economy of the country. But instead of taking from the weak to give to the strong, it takes from the crafty ones to give to all the citizens.
Among our proposed laws we have the abolition of the clause of the maximum overdraft in the bank, measures for the introduction of the “popular ownership of the money”, the prohibition on small town authorities to underwrite financial derivatives, the partial sale of the State gold reserves to the benefit of the public debt, new regulations about the ownership of the Bank of Italy and the transformation of the popular banks into special rights joint stock companies.
Furthermore we propose the setting up of two new parliamentary committees of enquiry. One about the activities of Isvap, the regulatory authority for insurance, to investigate the anomalies in the system that continues to see an indiscriminate increase in insurance premiums, in spite of the liberalisation that has taken place. The other is on the activities of the Consob and the Bank of Italy in relation to the scandals and the financial and industrial dislocations, as well as the distribution of argentine bonds among Italian savers.
We are asking that Parliament take an interest in serious things rather than various “lodi”. To those who accuse us of being subversives, we reply that subversives are those who keep hidden these issues so as to hang on to the loot. Of this package there will be little discussion because it is easier to talking badly of Italia dei Valori and to identify it as the party that deals with justice and that carries forward justicialism.
Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in
Economy
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29 July 2008
No to the kill-precarious-workers-regulation
We of Italia dei Valori did not swallow the obscene “kill-precarious-workers-regulation”. We voted against it and with a loud voice we are asking for it to be withdrawn.
It’s as though we found ourselves in front of a game of football. At a certain point, while they are playing, the referee gives the victory to one of the two sides before the game is over. It is clear that the referee did an incorrect action by selling himself to the highest bidder. That is what happened with the anti-precarious-workers regulation that has the extra factor of the vote of confidence. One has sold himself to the current entrepreneurial lobby, in this case the post office and to do a favour to them, has penalized thousands of workers. It’s the classic example of how you can abuse the institutions by asking for a vote of confidence even for things that are not of general interest, but that just satisfy the appetites of certain lobbies.
We find it to be scandalous that such a regulation has been done, a measure that cancels out the current system under discussion and that condemns the worker to precariousness for life. It’s as though a current powerful person were to rob a bank and someone decides that that action is no longer a crime. A sort of washing of the rules of democracy, that are no longer such.
Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in
Economy
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18 July 2008
The credibility of the government
The Minister of the Economy Giulio Tremonti spoke yesterday in Parliament of “a three year stabilization of public accounts”.
He outlined an image of the country in a critical but not a dramatic condition, according to him, in a context that sees this government slipping into a position of extreme weakness and credibility on this topic.
Both because, up until now this government has been busy with the private affairs of Silvio Berlusconi, and also because it has completely divested of its authority and the functions of a Parliament with so many decrees, and also because it will have to continue to do this for Silvio Berlusconi’s business even for the next few months, as he has already stated, also because the European Court has thrown out the Italian tax amnesty on IVA {sales tax} for the years 1998-2001 contained in the 2003 Finance Law and wanted by this same governing group.
Also because of all this, the Centre Right has not yet been able to give a signal of recovery and relaunching of the economy.
We of Italia dei Valori, I’m saying again to Tremonti, will be very happy to tackle the only emergency for the country: the economic one.
But in Parliament, not in other venues. Because it is in Parliament that the problems of the country are discussed, and not those of a single person.
”PRESIDENT. Honourable Di Pietro has asked to speak. He may speak.
ANTONIO DI PIETRO. Mr. President, Mr Minister who is present, I thank you because at least you are present and thus finally we can tackle this with a person who comes into Parliament and who, even for a few minutes, listens to us.
I believe that in relation to this measure it was possible and should have been discussed from the first day, thus, I am sorry that for 60 days we have had to busy ourselves with other matters, that had nothing to do with the urgent matters and the emergency, but that were only concerning personal matters.
I am also sorry that this measure, even though it is urgent, has to be tackled not just with a legislative decree, but even with a vote of confidence, exactly because Parliament must still be free to deal with other matters.
I am also sorry that we have to liberate Parliament not just for before the holidays, but we have to liberate it also after the holidays, because at that time we have to deal with still other things that have already been announced by the President of the Council, that is of Parliamentary immunity, of the CSM and of other things.
I am sorry, because I believe that this measure and this topic, that is proposed to us today, is what we really need.
Now that we have dealt with the method of cooking the pancake, we have to discuss its merits, for the time that is allowed to us.
We want to demonstrate that we are completely contrary to the fact that it has to be discussed with the mechanism of a legislative decree and that in fact we have to not discuss it, because what we are doing today and tomorrow is just a little game to lose time and to have it said that, anyway, we have discussed it.
Anyway you have already decided and we already know the time that there’ll be the vote of confidence and when it will be done. It is, basically, just a form of recreation for a couple of days.
I, however, want to deal seriously with what is written in the measure being examined. Above all, I have listened attentively to the arguments, as I always listen with great attention to the arguments of the Honourable Tabacci. I repeat in this venue as well what I have always said outside, when people like yourself or the Honourable Tabacci, speak and express their ideas, I prefer to take notes and to listen. In fact, Italia dei Valori does not just want to denigrate. When we believe that we have no option but to shout in the desert we can do nothing more, but when we listen to people who express their ideas, that we can agree with or not agree with, we listen with great attention.
MAURIZIO LUPI… it is the arm of death…
FABIO EVANGELISTI. But what the xxxx are you saying, stupid
PRESIDENT. Honourable Evangelisti, I beg you to moderate your language in all cases.
FABIO EVANGELISTI. They get offended every time.
PRESIDENT Honourable Evangelisti, stay calm. No one has given you permission to speak, allow the Honourable Di Pietro to speak.
ANTONIO DI PIETRO. The Honourable Tabacci has dressed you down for reasons of both methodology and content. On methodology, as you know, I too do not agree. As regards the content, I believe that in his speech, apart from the opinions as to whether it is or not an academic discussion, there are aspects that can and must be agreed with, and that we agree with, and there are others that we don’t agree with. And it is good that we draw attention to them, even in the short time that is available. I will limit myself just to list those aspects, not having had the possibility to participate in a parliamentary debate that perhaps by means of the confrontation, could convince me better, or thanks to which we could give some indications.
Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in
Economy
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28 May 2008
The duty of the Institutions
I’m publishing the video and the transcript of my speech in the Chamber of Deputies about the amendment presented by the Government that sets out the approval of the agreement between Autostrade per l'Italia and Anas, on the date it comes into effect of the law that converts the legal decree about community obligations, without going through the CIPE, which is going against the duty of the institutions to act so that the concession is useful to the citizens and not just useful to some concessionary company.
“Mr. President, I too am speaking about the agenda because I believe that before voting on this additional article, it is a good thing that all of us parliamentarians know up to what date Anas can approve the concession outlines, with the certainty that they will become valid straight after that, without the need that there is, that is that as happens now, that is the decree of the Minister of Infrastructure, the counter-signature of the Minister of the Economy and Finance, the opinion of the Parliamentary Committees of the Chamber and the Senate, the opinion of the controlling bodies.
Basically, we are putting our trust in a corporate enterprise as regards the State accounts without using any controls, without State intervention! No State body, whether Parliament, the Government, the controlling bodies like the Court of Accounts or the State Treasury, that really should be giving its stamp of approval, none of all that is done and a corporate enterprise is doing nothing other than deciding to whom a concession is to be given that is not theirs to give, it is a concession of the State, and of which they are concessionaires! (Applause from the deputies of the groups Italia dei Valori and Partito Democratico)
For this reason, in relation to the order of the activities, I am above all asking the President of the Chamber to get a response before the vote.
Secondly, I am asking the government to withdraw the amendment proposal being examined (Comments from the deputies of the group Unione di Centro) because it dispossesses the institutions of a right and a duty: that of checking whether there are the conditions to hand to a third party this good, this concession.
Lastly, we of Italia dei Valori cannot accept a formulation like this, because it is against the duty of the institutions to act in such a way that the concession is of use to the citizens and not just of use to some concessionary company, which, without controls, is thinking how to manage its own resources. (Applause from the deputies of the groups Italia dei Valori, Partito Democratico and Unione di Centro.)"
Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in
Economy
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30 April 2008
Throttled by paying sales tax up front
The relaunch of enterprise needs immediate and decisive action. One of the problems, in particular for the SME is cash, having liquidity for investment, or even for current trading, without having to get credit, and thus without having to get into debt and having to pay interest which is ever more onerous because of the increasing cost of money.
Italia dei Valori as its first action in its parliamentary activity will propose the abolition of the regime of paying sales tax up front on invoices issued. The recovery of the sales tax should happen on payment of the invoice. This measure if approved by Parliament will allow the companies to shake off a financial burden and to avoid having long waits for the repayment of the sales tax and the adjustments. Paying the sales tax up front today is of benefit to the banking system but not to industry as the companies are often obliged to get into debt to carry on their activity.
This initiative is just the first one that Italia dei Valori will carry out, to allow the development of companies and to put them in a condition to be able to compete in the Italian and international market.
Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in
Economy
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27 April 2008
The nonexistent bid
Here are some of the comments I made in an interview I gave yesterday to the “La Stampa” daily, regarding the bridging loan granted to Alitalia.
"In the Cabinet meeting, I personally reiterated that no one should take the liberty of implementing provisions that are illegal, and it is my belief that this provision, yet another of those forced through in accordance with Berlusconi’s wishes, will yet be punished by the European Union because it constitutes State aid.
I bear witness to the fact that Berlusconi delivered an ultimatum to the Cabinet: I want three hundred million because I want enough time to put together a bid. His response to those that pointed out that this would constitute State aid, he said that he couldn’t care less and that all he wanted was a bridging loan. Anyone can buy whatever he/she wants as long as they are using the Italian Taxpayers' money.
I am against the utilisation of the institutions in order to undertake any illegal operations. I believe that the European Union will certainly impose a fine on us, that there is no consortium ready to make a bid and that we will end up with the not only the damages, but we will also land up becoming a laughing stock. The damages are the fact of having lost Alitalia as a result of not having re-established open dialogue with Air France, and becoming a laughing stock as a result of losing a further three hundred million, with the bill being picked up by the Italian taxpayer."
Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in
Economy
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22 March 2008
We will pay for him
Following the decision handed down by the European Court of Justice, our Country will soon be faced with having to pay a substantial fine unless the Italian television broadcasting laws are brought into line with European standards. Here is an interview I gave on this very subject to the “L’Unità” newspaper.
L'Unità: As far as Sivio’s most ardent supporters are concerned, you, Antonio Di Pietro, are Public Enemy No.1. Even worse in fact, «a man that horrifies everyone», as Sandro Bondi stated the other night on Ballarò. The leader of the Italia dei Valori party does not appear to be too concerned by this, anything but. Right there in the Rai3 studios, he did not mince his words: he wants to “dismember” Mediaset.
Tell us Minister, was this purely an electoral campaign threat or is it truly realistic to expect Rete4 to simply remove the inconvenience, in favour of Europa7?
Antonio Di Pietro: «The need to take away one of Mediaset’s channels, thereby remedying something illegal, has been sanctioned by both the European Court of Justice and the Italian Constitutional Court. The fact is that this illegality has not yet been remedied is something that brings shame upon our Country, because what it proves is that the Italian Institutions are unable to enforce the law. The need to act as quickly as possible is also dictated by the fact that there is the threat of an extremely heavy fine to be paid by Italy unless the Country complies, and to pay this fine we would need the equivalent of another annual budget each year ».
L'Unità: And what is your response to those who say that compliance would mean putting at risk certain companies that employ many people?
Antonio Di Pietro: «The argument used by the employees who work there does not make any sense. It would be the same as saying that it is okay for any company that fails to pay its taxes, or fails to comply with safety regulations, or fails to pay standard wage rates to break the law, simply because it employs a certain number of people. Furthermore, no one is actually wanting to shut that company down. All they want is for one of the Company’s channels to broadcast via satellite because someone else has won the frequency that it is currently broadcasting on. Let us remember that the network that is currently broadcasting on that frequency is only there because it has denied some other channel the right to broadcast ».
L'Unità: You say that the issue of conflict of interests will also be “breathing down Berlusconi’s neck”, but do you also believe that the centre-left has been too “soft” in this regard?
Antonio Di Pietro: «The centre-left has not only been too soft, it has in fact been negligent. It is a sin. To remedy a problem while you are the majority party is much like having a wound that must be repaired. We of the IdV party will adhere fully to the programme, and this includes complying with the law. We have no intention of allowing discounts … The fact remains that Berlusconi was governing this country while, at the same time, being the holder of a public service concession. We will never know whether he is making decisions based on his own interests or on ours. Indeed, the tailor made laws prove that his decisions are based entirely on his own interests ».
L'Unità: The “Cavaliere” claims that you are a “pensioner”, just like Veltroni …
Antonio Di Pietro: «That is rubbish. I am heading for 60 years of age, but I don’t receive any pension payments from Parliament. I still have a long way to go ».
L'Unità: There are those that could say that your alliance with the Democratic Party is merely a ploy you are using in order to improve your chances in the elections …
Antonio Di Pietro: «No, as far as I am concerned it is an iron-clad pact. The IdV’s claim to fame lies in the credibility of its actions. The issues surrounding the telecommunications reforms and the conflicts of interest must be addressed at all costs, because the regulations demand it, both the Italian and the European regulations to be precise. By tackling these issues head-on, we are reasserting the credibility of the programme and that of Veltroni as Prime Minister, thus demonstrating our determination and consistency ».
L'Unità: What would change in terms of the Italian scenario once the European Court decision is implemented? Something much resembling a revolution…
Antonio Di Pietro: «The affirmation of legality can never be compared to a revolution, it is simply a matter of re-establishing the legality of some pre-existing and recurring violation. We have unfortunately become the laughing stock of the international community, precisely because we are unable to enforce the law. This was already unacceptable when Berlusconi was at the helm, but it was also a natural consequence of a conflict of interests. However, I must also add something else, namely that, according to the Government, the situation would now be very different had we repealed the shameful legislation and resolved the issue of conflict of interest within the first hundred days, by approving the radio and television broadcast reforms. Instead, if we continue to-ing and fro-ing, we will land up being screwed and downtrodden. Screwed in the sense that a lack of variety affects us all, and downtrodden because we will be obliged to pay a huge fine ».
L'Unità: Now let’s talk about the G8 meeting in Genoa. Veltroni had some harsh things to say in this regard. Knowing what you now know, would you still vote against the establishment of a commission of inquiry?
Antonio Di Pietro: «At the time, we voted against the proposal to establish a commission of inquiry simply because the intention was to investigate only the allegations of illegal behaviour by the police and not the actions of those that committed violent acts against the police. Thanks to the investigations carried out by the judicial authorities we were provided with a clearer perspective of the events that unfolded, including the fact that two extremely serious criminal acts were committed at the time. The first was the infiltration of what was essentially a peaceful protest, by a bunch of thugs and hooligans. These are people that arrived there, armed to the teeth with clubs and incendiary bombs and who devastated half of the city and attacked the Police officers. Then there is the fact of what happened thereafter, which is equally unjustifiable, namely the reprisals and violence unleashed by certain of the forces of law and order, which is even more serious in that those responsible were wearing stars on their uniforms and were representing the State. I must point out, however, that in both cases, the facts did not emerge as a result of any commission of inquiry, but thanks to the efforts of the judiciary. A commission’s duty is to assess the policies behind the events that occurred, otherwise, by laying the responsibility at the door of one or other side, the truth of the matter becomes twisted».
Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in
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4 March 2008
The value of infrastructure
From day one, Italia dei Valori has not wanted to participate in the Bassolino Cabinet. As you know, they were all competing for a cabinet position, and now I don’t know how many are at Poggio Reale instead of at the Region Headquarters.
We have always wanted to make a mark and the sense of discontinuity, because we believe that in that reality there is above all the need to give back transparency to the institutions with a general change over of the generations.
Whether or not Bassolino likes it, Bassolino on a personal level will sort out his affairs in front of the judges, but on a political level, after having been Mayor and the President of the Region for so many years, his political responsibility is objectively such that it is necessary for him to stand down, because a relationship of trust has broken down. He says he needs to deal with the rubbish, but he should have been dealing with it for 20 years, he doesn’t have to remember it now that he is on trial. It would have been better if he had done it earlier.
I believe that in Italy there is the issue of the South, but also of the North. As Minister of Infrastructure, I have tackled it and I want to continue to tackle it because if we go to the South there are so many problems connected above all to jobs, to employment and to the future of youth, but if we go to the North there are big problems connected first of all to the defence of the world of the economy and of the system of the companies that make Italy great.
I believe that it is the issue of the North and the logistics that is needed by all this enterprise system. This is the reason why I have committed myself, while receiving a load of criticisms from the maximalist left and others, about the corridor number 1 and the corridor number 5 and the Trieste-Divaccia.
Infrastructure is not damaging to the country. It’s damaging if it’s done badly, if it’s not useful and when it has exorbitant costs, but infrastructure that is done well helps the environment, increases the economy and the possibilities for the country. The TAV is nothing other than a rail system that allows for the transport of goods that now goes on lorries on a train, going through Europe and Italy fast, safely and with less pollution: this infrastructure helps the environment. With the policy of “not doing” there’s damage to the environment and to the State finances ten times greater than with the policy of “doing”.
We, of Italia dei Valori want, and we want it strongly, to win the elections together with the Democratic Party and Veltroni. We, of Italia dei Valori feel like those on a boat that is rowing to bring the model for reforming the management to the other side of the river. It’s no good asking us: “will you or won’t you get to the other side?”. To everyone, I say “concentrate on rowing, and don’t be looking around to see whether or not you will get there, because that way you definitely won’t.”
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14 January 2008
Italia dei Valori cuts 890 million
It’s a new year and we have the usual occasion for meeting you.
Today is 11 January and it’s the first Council of Ministers and the first meeting with you. Thus “Happy New Year”. We really need good wishes for the New Year, we citizens, but also we Ministers. We who are “precarious” Ministers who are trying to do our duty and at the same time trying not to be pawns of the system according to which you always say “yes” when the ones talking are of the coalition and you have to always say “no” when they are from the other coalition.
As regards us of Italia dei Valori, this year we are even more committed to the themes we have always been pursuing, that are the generation exchange of those who do politics, who change nothing if they don’t change a few people, the fight against the abnormal waste and cost of politics, the functioning of the public administration, the fight against bureaucracy, transparency and the rule of law.
What did we do in this first Council of Ministers? As regards institutional decisions we did very little, in that we had a decree brought by Padoa-Schioppa relating to some controls by the Bank of Italy, and we put it off because if we put it into action with a decree law it would have crowded out Parliament that already has to deal with other things and then it would have ended up in festive spirit.
We should have done the reform of the honorary judges, a draft law presented by the colleague Mastella, but there is still too much tension regarding a fundamental issue: is it right that those who find themselves in a judging role without having taken part in a “competition” then end up as judges like those who have done a “competition”? OK I said that in “dipietrese” but that’s the idea. There’s pro and contra, because on the one hand they have the professionalism, on the other hand, they haven’t got through the “competition”. This needs further discussion and it has been put off to another Council of Ministers.
This Council of Ministers stands out more for what wasn’t decided or for what was decided outside the Council of Ministers. Even a few appointments were decided, but I’ll talk to you about these at the right moment, because everything has its “right moment”. Make a note of that.
A lot of things have been done out of the Council of Ministers. There was a meeting of the majority the day before, to look at the economic policy of this country, an important meeting that I would dare to define in a few words as “a joyful and warm meeting of the residents of a condominium” in which everyone found agreement in so many good intentions.
I got left with the bitter taste of understanding if we were all so good was it because we had said as much to “baby Jesus” or because we were afraid of not going home before Carnevale? Is it the fear of abandoning the “armchair” or a sudden explosion of political maturity?
I don’t know because there were 38-39 people. There’s something sweet about these meetings of the majority. Every time we meet, we discover that there’s an extra condominium resident. At the beginning of this legislature, there were 9 of us. Today I found so many people who surely represent themselves, at least with the vote they were not representing. I was present.
Everything that we decided on wages, which is an important thing for workers in regards to taxation was decided in words. Now let us see whether in fact all this will be done.
Another thing has been done by Italia dei Valori: we have shown all the things we managed to get through our actions in this budget law. Since they are so many, I invite you to click on our website to see how we cut the fat of politics.
In this the budget law Italia dei Valori created a saving of nearly one billion euros, 890 million euros, cutting some unnecessary expenses, such as eliminating the "circoscrizioni" in many towns.
Just think there are in Nuoro 13 constituencies for about thirty thousand people.
We were also able to achieve a reduction of 20 million in funding to political parties to make a few prisons. Perhaps it is better to do some prisons rather than give the politicians, maybe they could use them too.
Read on the blog, where you will find the fat of politics, as can be cut. Read it, tell us what you think and what more can be done.
I tagli ai costi della politica
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10 January 2008
Malpensa, an issue to be sorted out
I’m publishing an interview given to today’s il Giornale.
On Monday 15 January in a mini-cabinet we will have a discussion about the reduction in the number of flights for the airport of Malpensa. One thing is clear: we can’t throw to the wind twenty billion in investments in a region that today represents the engine of the economy in this country.
Il Giornale: Many people reckon that Malpensa is not well connected and that this is its main handicap. How do you respond?
Antonio Di Pietro: We have already created a lot of infrastructure, and together with the Region we are in the process of creating more. With the Region, we have had meetings and have done positive things like the “Pedemontana” {Motorway running through the foothills of the mountains}, the connection with the Turin-Milan motorway, the connection to the Fiera{exhibition area in Milan). We have put in a lot of money and anyway, Malpensa is there. For us to ask now whether it was right to put the hub in the heart of the Po valley is like asking whether it was right to build a hospital that exists anyway and is an excellent structure. There would be no sense in closing either one or the other.
Il Giornale: Are you intending to tackle this issue in the Council of Ministers to get clauses safeguarding Malpensa?
Antonio Di Pietro: We will have to see in the Council of Ministers, but the “Tavolo Milano” {Roundtable on Milan} is even more important. At this moment, its function is more sensitive, because it has strict commitments. I will repeat officially the commitments made by the Ministry of Infrastructure.
Il Giornale: In the last few meetings, the “Tavolo Milano” seemed to have little substance. Will you ask for strong commitments?
Antonio Di Pietro: I will repeat that I intend to keep to the completion of the infrastructure connections that are useful for Malpensa. Having said that, I will go and ask what the others intend to do because we don’t intend to construct cathedrals in the desert. I will ask what guarantees they intend to give. We will talk about the issue of Malpensa without regard to the situation of Alitalia or at least we will have a look at what needs to be done regardless of Alitalia.
Il Giornale: The meeting between Bossi and Prodi has not brought great results. Does it seem to you that it would be realistic for the government to defend Malpensa?
Antonio Di Pietro: I don’t know what is realistic. I’m in the habit of looking at that the day after. Actions in defence of Malpensa are in defence of the system of Italy. The intercontinental airport does not just serve Lombardy but the whole country. And it should be considered in reference to what it can become in the future, above all with its insertion in Corridor 5. My commitment is to take action so that Malpensa’s air traffic can grow still more.
Il Giornale: There are those who propose accepting Campania’s rubbish in exchange for guarantees of slots.
Antonio Di Pietro: The two things must be kept separate. I will fight to ensure that Malpensa’s functioning continues. Something like that seems offensive for Campania and for Lombardy. It would be a cattle market.
Il Giornale: How is it possible to keep the intercontinental routes?
Antonio Di Pietro: Thinking of Malpensa’s future only in terms of the slots is reducing the issue. No one is denied four slots. But the problem is the intermodality because we have to be sure that any possible upset doesn’t lead to the whole thing not being used. An interchange is needed, the strengthening of the Ferrovie Nord {Northern Railways} and the connections with Switzerland, the Pedemontana {motorway running through the foothills of the mountains}. After that the slots then come on their own. Already now, there are extra ones that are not being used. Perhaps the problem will be resolved like that. If I were in the Region of Lombardy, I would not rest. The aircraft will come if they find an economy that is fruitful.
Il Giornale: What do you think of Formigoni’s idea for a Northern company?
Antonio Di Pietro: I don’t know. When I see it functioning I will see. Even “Volare” was a Northern company and it flew straight into the hands of the bankruptcy court. In itself, it is neither good, nor bad.
Il Giornale: And a mixed State-Region company on the business model of the Cal for the Lombardy motorways?
Antonio Di Pietro: It’s not my job to say.
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31 December 2007
Northern Italy’s troubles
Here is the text of an interview I granted to today’s "Il Giornale".
Il Giornale: Minister Antonio Di Pietro, you are originally from Molise, but have you perhaps also left a little piece of your heart in Milan?
Antonio Di Pietro: Much more than just a little piece. I am a Molise-Lombard ».
Il Giornale: So you also then get the feeling of the problems felt throughout the North, which have been exacerbated by the Malpensa-Alitalia situation?
Antonio Di Pietro: Firstly, I would like to separate the two phenomena. As regards the problems of the North, of course I notice them. However, it is one thing to notice a problem, while it is totally another thing to exacerbate the problem in an exploitative manner. What I actually believe is this. On top of the sense of trouble that is actually being felt, there is also a certain amount of exploitation going on, something that is certainly not helpful in terms of solving problems and which relies on demonstrations in order to further the cause. Instead, when facing serious problems, what is required is a greater sense of responsibility. Not a street demonstration.
Il Giornale: And as regards Alitalia? Don’t you think that the choices that have been made, which also involve Malpensa, will land up exacerbating the problem?
Antonio Di Pietro: Just the other day, I attended a Cabinet meeting. There we were provided with all the information relating to this matter. Furthermore, as Minister for Infrastructure, I have received some additional documentation, which we were asked to keep confidential. It follows, therefore, that I am bound by confidentiality requirements as regards the Alitalia issue and I cannot say anything.
Il Giornale: You are a member of a Government that exists only on paper since it no longer enjoys a Senate majority...
Antonio Di Pietro: Are you referring to Dini’s moves?
Il Giornale: Yes.
Antonio Di Pietro: Can I answer with a Di Pietro-ism?
Il Giornale: Certainly.
Antonio Di Pietro: Dini is trying to screw someone and, in the end, he will get screwed.
Il Giornale: Beg your pardon?
Antonio Di Pietro: He is taking advantage of the situation in order to gain personal advantage at the expense of others. But I don’t believe that he will succeed. Also because it is improper.
Il Giornale: And yet, Lamberto Dini’s criticisms levelled at the Budget are shared by a number of international and other organisations...
Antonio Di Pietro: That may well be true, however, his argument is somewhat like that of the man who has Ursula Andress and says that he actually wanted Carla Bruni. That is not the right way to go about getting things done! Furthermore, I don’t believe that his reasons are entirely altruistic. I believe that his intention is to set himself up politically.
Il Giornale: A legitimate operation. Furthermore, this is not the first time. In this current legislature, there are other similar examples of people switching allegiance...
Antonio Di Pietro: I don’t agree with regard to the legitimacy. I personally do not agree with what he is doing. I don’t believe it is proper. In my opinion he is making capital out of it.
Il Giornale: In what way?
Antonio Di Pietro: He is attempting to break down and reassemble majorities. If such a situation is destined to occur, then it must wait until after the elections and not before.
Il Giornale: And when exactly will the elections take place?
Antonio Di Pietro: I undertake to let you know immediately after the electoral committees have made the announcement.
Il Giornale: So everyone else is being good...
Antonio Di Pietro: What do you want me to say? Who know? You would need a crystal ball in order to know these things and I don’t have a crystal ball.
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24 December 2007
The Cabinet. Rules for tenders
Friday 21 December, the second last Cabinet meeting of the year, because the last one is scheduled for 28 December to approve the so-called the “thousand postponements decree”. At the end of each year, a survey is done to identify all of the provisions that have not been finalised during the year, so that, by passing a final legislative decree, the finalisation can be further postponed, thus permitting us to do next year, that which we were unable to do this year.
In the CIPE, we decided on two basic issues. A range of public works to be performed using all the remaining available funds. It is important to let everyone know that, for the first time ever, the Ministry for Infrastructure will not have a single cent left over, meaning that it has spent all of its funds for the envisaged works. There are no residual unused funds lying around, nor are there any stalled, half-completed works, in other words, we of the “thousand postponements decree” will not have to postpone the works that should have been carried out this year, because the works for which the money was allocated have all been commenced.
It is very satisfying to know that the last 200 million, more or less, have been allocated through the CIPE, to a whole range of important interventions, above all to complete those interventions that were already underway but required additional resources.
Read the complete text
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14 December 2007
The Cabinet. New funds for security and information
Tuesday 11 December 2007, The Cabinet.
There was much discussion but very little was approved, in the sense that we failed to agree any new draft bills. Instead, we discussed a number of very important topics, most important of all being that of the Budget law, which has been approved by the Senate and will be presented to the Chamber by this Sunday, and we need to decide regarding which of the texts should be approved. The Chamber parliamentary committees have introduced further amendments and another new governmental amendment will be introduced by tomorrow, which will take into account all of the comments and which will then be put to the vote.
How does this year’s new Budget law look, you ask? It contains both areas of light and areas of darkness, but certainly there are many areas of light, in that it redistributes available resources in favour of the weakest members of society and in favour of development. Certain areas of darkness exist, however, due to the fact the Budget Law must be voted on in Parliament, where there is a very narrow majority in favour of this Government and we have, therefore, been obliged to make a few too many “offerings”.
I would now like to explain what are, in my opinion, the “offerings”. On my Blog, you will find a letter I wrote to the Prime Minister, in which I stated that from now on we must avoid squandering resources in order to satisfy any Tom, Dick or Harry. The Budget Law in itself is a good law. Pity about the dropped threads of submission to one or other blackmail attempt by one or other parliamentarian who would otherwise not have voted.
Here are some of the concessions made: funding for sanitary kennels and catteries, funding to save historic assets from the First World War (and here I was, thinking that it had ended some time ago!), funding to finance a book centre, funding for softening our tap water (it must be tap water though!), funding for an Italian immigration museum, and funding for the Italian accounting body (privately established). Just imagine, the funding to save historic assets from the First World War was detracted from a chapter regarding strategic infrastructure, namely the funding for a draft bill concerning our motorways and railways.
We achieved a lot, but we could have done more. If it is true that the State’s expenses and waste are excessive, then these would have been a good area for making some cuts and, on the subject of cuts, I would like to mention what we of the “Italia dei Valori” Party managed to obtain. We refrained from requesting any funding for some or other grouping and, instead, we requested a cut in the expenses. Here are a few of the expense cuts we managed to obtain.
The repeal of the so-called Mancia (Gratuity) Law, introduced during Berlusconi’s time, which made provision for a fund of 3 million Euro, from which, at the end of the year, every parliamentarian could request a portion on behalf of his constituency.
We requested and obtained a reduction in the number of mountain village municipalities, a reduction in the number of selection panel administrators and a reduction in the number of districts.
We requested that the bulk of these funds be allocated in favour of our forces of law and order, beginning with the payment of overtime pay to policemen and Carabinieri that carry out their duties every day, which was agreed to. It was also agreed that a portion of these funds would go towards increasing the funding for local television stations, those that offer some sort of plurality beyond Rai and Mediaset.
This is the contribution made by the “Italia dei Valori” Party: a reduction in the amounts of waste and the reallocation of funds towards security and information. This is why we would have preferred to see those funds, allocated on a whim to the other twenty or so chapters, rather being put towards security and development.
Whatever the case may be, since we are obliged to sum up the totals, this Budget is the best that we could come up with. Next time, however, the reduction of wastage had better be even clearer, in order to balance the books.
Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in
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28 November 2007
Injustice has been done
No formal objection regarding the Court of Cassation Public Prosecutor’s decision to hold a disciplinary hearing against Milan judge Clementina Forleo, Public Prosecutor in the Unipol-Bnl inquiry.
Everything officially correct …just like in the script.
However, it leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth when one realises that, once again, the one that forced to bear the brunt is always, and only, the one that is simply trying to do his/her duty without “keeping an eye peeled” or exhibiting fear or reverence for anyone in particular.
And so, in these rare cases, it happens that an inordinate number of personalities, bodies and institutions move in unison in order to dig up, dissect every spoken and written phrase and inspect every action under the microscope in search of the minute speck, the quibble required in order to justify criticism against the one that, in the end, “must” be shown to be inept and unreliable.
Equally, the final outcome is a foregone conclusion, irrespective of the actual intention of the person that, even in good faith, participates in this exercise in personal demolition. By logical consequence and transient propriety, everything that that courageous judge is doing, or has done (and is therefore questioned), is deemed to be unbelievable and must, therefore, simply be archived.
However, all is not yet lost. Judge Forleo, like Public Prosecutor De Magistris, still have the opportunity to make their voice heard in the institutions (starting with the Upper Council of the Magistrature) and to defend their actions. The aim is to reaffirm the right-duty of every magistrate to motivate his/her provisions in accordance with their conscience and independent conviction and not on the basis of convenience or of the people involved.
In the interests of clarity, therefore, if we were to sift through thousands of judicial provisions regarding ordinary citizens, we would surely find an infinite number of expressions or statements used by the judges, which could raise the same criticisms that are being levelled in the case of Forleo. Nobody, speaking of ordinary citizens, would dream of making accusations against the judges for the expressions used in motivating their provisions. Instead, in this case, as in all of the cases involving the Palace and the High Castes, all the highest powers of the State (starting with Parliament) have sprung into action. With the help of the media, public attention has been cleverly diverted away from the real objective of the investigations, namely the guilt in terms of the web of intrigue that emerged from the tapped telephone conversations and the the judge that wanted to read and assess them, rather than the local clever dicks that were seeking sponsors and protection for their financial escapades.
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National Railway cuts
Yesterday an article appeared in the Corriere della Sera newspaper, containing my comments regarding the blocking of funding for the National Railways. I stated that I was getting tired of a Government that hands out money willy-nilly while others decide what to do with it.
I have received many letters on-line as regards this issue. I attach one of these below. It is from a citizen that, like many others, would like to see certain changes, is counting on this Government, and must not be disappointed:
“Dear Mr. Di Pietro,
I am an employee of Trenitalia s.p.a, a member of the National Railways Group. I heard about you blockage of the funding, amounting to a total of one billion and 35 million Euro, destined for the National Railways, because you are tired of seeing public money being allocated blindly. Given the facts, I believe that you are completely right in doing so. However, for us employees, this sounds somewhat like a warning bell. What will happen to us? What does the future hold for us? Will we land up going the same way as Alitalia or Autostrade s.p.a?
As regards the funding, it is only right that there be full transparency with regard to hw it is granted, and that the funding be used for useful purposes, such as for example, maintenance on rolling stock and railway lines. In this way we could reduce the delays, a painful ailment afflicting commuters that use the rail service daily to get to their place of work.
The citizens must show display their civic conscience and show some respect for community assets such as trains, stations, etc. Unfortunately this is not always the case. There are numerous cases of vandalism, perpetrated by unmannered thugs that are equally at home carrying out robberies and burglaries.
Personally, every morning when I leave my bicycle at the shelter near the Bologna Centrale station, I am faced with a situation that is pitiful to say the least. There is excrement left behind by the homeless and the drug addicts, syringes and a pervading smell of urine, and the situation is unbearable. Much money is being spent on keeping public areas clean, apparently uselessly because the same filth is present every day.
The money is being spent badly on purchasing useless materials, wastage and useless consumption, while employees are being paid while they are not performing their duties. These are only some of the problems that result in the enormous damage and inefficiency that we are all aware of when talking about the National Railways.
We are informed by the television that the funds are being used to either balance ghost accounts, or to provide incentives for employees’ early retirement with “golden handshake” vouchers. These funds should be used solely and exclusively for the purposes of improving the company’s situation. It is with great regret that I am obliged to admit that the situation within the National Railways was far better when the company was still under the direct State control, with no intermediaries, without Confindustria and without the trade unions, however, as regards privatisation, I see anything but a bright future.
I am sure that you Sir, as a magistrate, have seen it all before on a personal basis and that you can, therefore, understand what I am talking about.
You are one of the few remaining people in Italy that are worthy of our esteem and trust.
Unfortunately we are living in precarious times as regards employment, and who knows whether, in a few years’ time, there will be any such thing as retrenchment benefits, welfare benefits and pensions and, above all, whether I will still retain my job and whether I will be able to set up a family of my own.
The more time passes and the more difficult it becomes to make it to the end of the month, between mortgages, various expenses and the cost of living. We are living in an increasingly uncertain world, with little prospect of a better future.
Kindest regards.
A.M.”
Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in
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26 November 2007
Council of Ministers: Finance Bill: on its way
Friday 23 November, Council of Ministers. Here’s the account of the Council of Ministers and of CIPE, (the Committee that deals with the approval of public works) and the 150 Years Committee (for the work to be done in relation to 150 years since the Unification of Italy).
We need to think about this as well, but instead of buying flowers, we will do good work by improving infrastructure or buildings that remind us of that date, but at least we will do something that lasts, because if we use flowers, they have wilted by the following day.
As regards CIPE, we had to define the spending of the money coming from the “little treasure”, that of the decree that we approved last week, and we have used the money to show that this time, by spending the money, this won’t go in unspent balances, that is in blocked strong boxes, and above all because we are spending the money early the costs won’t go up and we are spending the money for exactly the things that Parliament has approved, so that then in the future we are not using the money set aside