Recovery Plan: the lure of a large manger. But Draghi does not mention reforms and sacrifices to Parliament
We talked about the timing of the possible collection of the RF-Recovery Fund . Today, we want to discuss the reforms linked to the national RF (or PNRR): those described by Draghi in Parliament and those others that he has kept quiet about.
The Big Manger – Draghi devoted much of his speech to waving a lure. A bait made up of an infinite list of expense items: from investments "in the dimensional growth of our companies and in high-tech supply chains", to the "environmentally sustainable requalification of tourist services structures", to the "green revolution and ecological transition" , the strengthening of the "universal civil service for young people between 18 and 28 years", the "creation of units dedicated to the simplification of processes, the reorganization of public offices", the "centrality of sport". In reply to the Chamber , he added “the investment in the agricultural-solar park , which will be carried out without soil consumption”, as well as 21,200 “charging points for electric vehicles” and “investments in batteries”. In short, a great Christian Democrat manger .
Then, of course, commendable initiatives, such as: 6.3 billion for broadband and 5G in the form of a "state contribution", a little TAV, a little public housing, some money for hydrogen, for earthquake areas, for the research. But to make the figure of the survivors of the great manger. Draghi himself admitted that, with the RF, “in 2026, GDP will be about 3.6 percentage points higher than a reference scenario that does not take into account the implementation of the plan”. That is, nothing for a country that lost 8.9 percent of GDP in 2020.
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Reforms – After 39 minutes of chanting, he came to the meat: "the NRP is not just an investment plan but, above all , a reform plan". The reform of the criminal process , "the simplification of authorizations for the construction of waste management plants", or "a reduction in the time" of the EIA-Environmental Impact Assessment. Which are good and right things. But offset by more onerous controls ("a significant strengthening of supervisory inspection activities in the workplace") and new perversions ("a system of certification of gender equality").
Little about the reform of the civil process. Zero on the tax reform ("it is too early to give answers on what it will be"). Zero on PA payment times. Among the simplifications, he cited "public procurement and concessions", as well as the "completion of the tender obligations for concession regimes" … with many greetings to what remains of the national tourism industry.
Finally, he accused those who oppose it of " corruption and stupidity " [sic]. In response to the Senate , he then faded the accusation into "institutional inertia", having premised that, on the reforms, "we all agree": some parliamentarians must have been annoyed at being called stupid and corrupt , preferring to be given some inert . A small sign of dignity, which Draghi hastened to dress with a tinsel: “such changes can only be implemented if there is agreement”. But with the air of someone who says: vae victis . On the other hand, of 945 and more parliamentarians, he praised by name only Elena Cattaneo, made senator for life by Napolitano.
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The things that Draghi kept silent – So far , what the new Brenno said to Parliament. But there is an infinity of subjects of which he, in Parliament, did not mention.
In reference to the 110 percent superbonus , Draghi limited himself to commenting: “It doesn't pull much because the procedures are too complex. So, with a law decree that will be presented by May, we intervene with important simplifications to ensure that people can use it ”. Subsequent indiscretions then clarified that it would be a matter of imposing the principle of silent assent to the Superintendencies, no less. A measure that is not just but sacrosanct. But which is certainly profoundly unpopular on the left and, in fact, would be meeting the stubborn opposition of Minister Franceschini.
In reference to the civil trial, as mentioned, he focused on the popular theme of speeding up. While careful not to decline it in terms of the speed of executions (acceleration of debt collection mechanisms and rapid expropriation of buildings). Debtors, families and businesses overwhelmed by the crisis will know how to be grateful.
In reference to the tax reform, as we have seen, Draghi refused to speak. On the contrary, Gentiloni, whoappeared before the Finance Committees of the Chamber and Senate , offered an important detail: it will have to “also respond to some historical emphasis on the part of the European Union. First, the reduction of taxation on labor ”. Which implies an increase in revenue from other tax sources: the Imu on the first home, for example, or the cancellation of the personal income tax deductions. A step so important that it triggered a provocation by Senator Bagnai: "perhaps, it would be appropriate for the Commission to let us know what kind of reform it wants Italy to implement, in order to avoid, for Italy, funds cut ". Provocation welcomed by the embarrassment of the poor Commissioner: "the content of this reform is not written in Brussels … the recommendations of the European Union contain very general principles … it seems to me that they are shared principles which, obviously, the Commission insists on the objectives and timing be articulated in these plans ”… that is, ultimately, yes: the Commission has already made it known what kind of reform it wants Italy to implement. The new harassed people will know how to be grateful.
In reference to the employment effects of the green revolution , in Parliament, Draghi said he was convinced that it was "an engine of development and employment". Except then admitting, days later in Porto , that "the labor market is undergoing extraordinary changes … – and they will be very important changes – due to the energy transition and the ecological transition". The new unemployed will know how to be grateful.
With reference to the issue of the so-called environmentally harmful subsidies (that is, the discounts on fuels that keep agriculture and road transport alive), Draghi limited himself to mentioning the modernization of the machinery of the agricultural industry "in order to reduce emissions" . On the contrary, Gentiloni specified that the Union wants to “eliminate” these subsidies. Farmers and truckers will know how to be grateful.
Gentiloni increased the dose, replying to a deputy worried about the rise in the price of raw materials: "we are seeing, for example, the price of coal [but perhaps he meant: the price of carbon dioxide emission rights , ed. ] increasing and this is because the markets are somehow imagining the effects of the measures, in terms of climate change, of which we are talking ”. Manufacturing companies will know how to be grateful.
Finally, there are other reform chapters, on which it is known that the Commission has also made other substantive observations to the Draghi plan. A little about everything, in fact: public administration, simplifications, justice, fighting illegal work, competition. Rome would have pointed out to "ask everything immediately", that is, it does not want to find everything written in the observations of the Commission. But it is by no means certain that Brussels and Commissioner Vestager will be satisfied, quite the contrary.
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Draghi did not speak of all this in his speech to Parliament. Thus we understand why parliamentarians take for a manger what is, for many of them, a pit: the pit of their political career.
The post Recovery Plan: the lure of a large manger. But Draghi makes no mention of reforms and sacrifices in Parliament appeared first on Atlantico Quotidiano .
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Atlantico Quotidiano at the URL http://www.atlanticoquotidiano.it/quotidiano/recovery-plan-lesca-di-una-grande-mangiatoia-ma-su-riforme-e-sacrifici-draghi-tiene-alloscuro-il-parlamento/ on Fri, 14 May 2021 03:56:00 +0000.