“We are not abolishing App 18. It is fake news”. This was said by the president of the Culture Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, Federico Mollicone (FdI), a guest on Saturday 24 on Rainews24. “A new Charter will be drawn up – explains Mollicone – with more transparent and fair criteria, because there is also the social issue”. The new Charter «could be linked to the Isee – he says – Then, today we buy textbooks and this cannot happen because the card is provided by the Ministry of Culture and textbooks are not allowed. But, in fact, in this way it has become a social shock absorber ».
After the criticisms rained down from the world of culture and school, but not only that, the Meloni government returns to the subject, and labels the news of the abolition of the bonus as fake news. “It’s fair to understand, to see if it should be formally extended to textbooks as well.” But not only. «We discovered it by going to look in the drawers of the executives – says Mollicone – we have received reports from the Court of Auditors on possible tax damages, from the Guardia di Finanza and from the Public Prosecutors who are investigating the fraudulent use of the Card. 9 million euros of fraud at the Mic would have already been ascertained. A supervisory report on this, even historical, is missing. It means that someone in the past did not supervise, but it is fake news that we want to cancel the Charter”.
And again: “If there are proposals for improvements also from the opposition, they are welcome, but perhaps they are afraid that their name will be changed”. He summarizes: «The App is badly done. We are not against a measure that can encourage consumption. We only want a fairer and more efficient provision, which can be extended in application, which addresses the issue of textbooks and which cannot be lent to fraud ».
The Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano also expressed his opinion on the measure – even if it comes from Parliament: «As it is, the App18 shows critical issues. It is necessary to redefine and rename it, so that this tool really becomes a way of cultural consumption for young people, directing them to reading books, visiting exhibitions, language courses and music. I think an ISEE threshold should be introduced which excludes people from families with high incomes. Furthermore, it is necessary to develop a real anti-fraud mechanism, and it is necessary to re-delimit the areas of use for truly cultural consumption, avoiding grotesque aspects. On all of this I intend to work together with operators in the world of culture to improve the system. I hope that a true charter of culture for young people will be born».
The outcry of the publishing world
Under the title “18App, the world of books calls with one voice for the cancellation of the proposed cancellation” authors, publishers, booksellers, stationers and librarians ask the parliament and the government to withdraw the cancellation proposal of the 18App, the bonus for 18-year-olds which awards 500 euros to all girls and boys who have turned 18 to spend on cultural purchases. The request comes from all the sector associations: AIE – Italian Publishers Association, ADEI – Association of Independent Publishers, ALI – Italian Booksellers Association, SIL – Italian Booksellers Syndicate, Federcartolai Confcommercio, AIB – Italian Libraries Association, SIAE – Italian Society of Authors and Publishers, SLC-Cgil National Section of Writers. «Since it was approved in 2016, the 18App has allowed thousands of young people to explore and approach the world of books, freely choosing what to read. This measure has not only supported the world of books economically, but has allowed a country that traditionally reads little to make enormous strides forward. Istat certifies it: in the first three years the bonus has allowed an increase in reading in the 18-21 age group from 46.8% to 54%. Since its approval in Italy, similar measures have been taken in many other European countries. It would be a paradox for Italy to cancel a virtuous measure that many have copied from us now”.
The appeal launched by Laterza
“We ask Parliament not to approve the amendment, keeping the 18App alive”. This is the appeal launched by the Laterza publishers on the fourth day of the More free books fair. The list of signatories among publishers, writers, readers and operators in the book world is getting longer and longer. Among these Annamaria Malato, Stefano Mauri, Rocco Pinto, Giovanni Solimine, Della Passarelli Antonio Sellerio, Gianrico Carofiglio, Nicola Lagioia, Maurizio Caminito, Bruno Mari, Antonella Agnoli and Carla Ida Salviati. «Some members of the majority have proposed in Parliament an amendment to the budget law which eliminates the App 18, a provision that allowed eighteen-year-olds to spend an amount of 500 euros on cultural consumption, with an overall allocation over the years of more of one billion euros» reads the appeal. «App 18 was also an act of trust towards young people which made those directly involved choose which cultural activities to reinforce – which was also taken up in various European countries – which in particular gave important support to the dissemination of books, reversing the trend to the reduction of readership especially in the 18-21 age group. Abolishing this measure would give a blow to reading the books in our country whose growth as we know is closely linked to civil, social and economic development» the appeal underlines.