The Constitutional Court stops the Faculty of Medicine in Treviso: “Not with the money of the Venetian healthcare”

The Council’s ruling arrived after the Government’s appeal against the project of the Veneto Region and the University of Padua. Here is the full text of the sentence

PADUA. A cold shower, which risks complicating things. President Zaia and the University of Padua’s project for a medical faculty in Treviso risks getting stuck in a sentence by the Constitutional Court which, in a few pages, argues its position: no medical school with health care money.

In fact, the Council does not enter into the merits of whether or not a Treviso faculty as a “daughter” of the noble Padua school, but makes it a purely economic question.

The conclusion is this: the Constitutional Court “Declares the constitutional illegitimacy of art. 1, paragraph 1, of the law of the Veneto Region of 14 April 2020, n. 10 (Activation by the University of Padua of the degree course in medicine and surgery at the Azienda ULSS n. 2 Marca Trevigiana. Provisions on financing by the Veneto Region and further provisions), limited to the words «With the assumption by the Region of the charges relating to the appointment of permanent teachers as well as contract teachers pursuant to article 18 of the law of 30 December 2010, n. 240 “Regulations on the organization of universities, academic staff and recruitment, as well as delegation to the Government to encourage the quality and efficiency of the university system” “.

Here is the full text of the ruling of the Constitutional Court

In short, health and training have two different spending items. And with the treasury destined for treatment, it is not possible to finance contract teachers or recruit academic staff. Word of the Constitutional Court.

And here another case comes to mind, the current dispute between the University of Padua and the hospital for primary school salaries. On the plate there are 5 million euros that the Bo wants back from via Giustiniani.

President Zaia was certain he had circumvented the obstacle when he gave impetus to the creation of the Faculty of Medicine in Treviso (the Region would have put 50 million euros) in agreement with the Bo.

So much so that next year the course will start. It has already been opened, albeit sub iudice. Why? The Miur had said yes, already banning 60 places for the 2021/2022 academic year. Zaia and all of Treviso were hoping for an ok from the Consulta, now the stop has arrived.

And now? For some time the University of Padua has had a plan B: “Other forms of financing will be found,” said the president of the School of Medicine, Stefano Merigliano when the appeal was opened. Who had not spared a stab: “Of course it is difficult to understand how money can be spent to treat people, but not to train those who care for them.” How much money are we talking about? About 50 million euros (those financed by the Veneto Region which, in the light of the Court’s ruling, cannot be used): the expenditure was calculated at 7 million to guarantee the coverage of 18 teachers, equipment and classrooms, to whom three million will have to be added a year for the next 15 years.

Now the ball passes into the hands of the University of Padua which will have to find 50 million to guarantee the start of the degree course