“Risks from energy prices, inflation and geopolitical tensions”. Prime Minister Mario Draghi said this during the press conference at the end of the CDM that he has launched a historic reform, that of the judiciary and the Higher Council of the Judiciary. «For this year the EU Commission expects a growth of 4.1% for Italy, higher than France and Germany. The risks are given by the price of energy, by inflation and by geopolitical tensions that can arise. We are aware of these three categories of risk: the Government is reflecting on interventions in these areas, the important thing is to maintain growth, which allows us to face the high debt-GDP ratio, to face the markets with confidence and confidence. This is the most important thing and the government is fully committed ”, explained Draghi during a wide-ranging press conference, in which he repeatedly excluded his involvement in politics.
Superbonus, fraud for a few checks: 2.3 billion seized
«Those who thunder the most about the superbonus today, who say that these frauds do not count, that we must go on anyway … well, these are some of those who wrote the law and allowed work to be done without checks. If we are in this situation – said Draghi – it is because a system has been built that provided for very few controls. And if the superbonus slows down today, it is due to the seizures approved by the judiciary for fraudulent issues for 2.3 billion. But of course the sums being investigated are much, much higher ”. Draghi ruled out that construction would not go ahead without superbonus.
The corrective measures in an amendment
“The government wants the mechanism to work – said Draghi, speaking of the super bonus – and the corrective measures should find a place in an amendment that the ministry and Parliament are working on”. On building bonuses, Minister Franco stressed, “we can think of further refinements, we are thinking of tracing better” the operations, “we could have a wider possibility within the banking system, with two or three sales” of the credit. “Anything can be done, but it remains essential to avoid further scams which are among the largest that this Republic has seen,” said Minister Franco. In the current situation, “the important thing is that business resumes, that all intermediaries return to accept requests and that the market restarts more safely than before,” said Franco. «Asseveration, ex ante control of the Revenue Agency, limits on the number of credit transfers, all go in the direction of ensuring certainty for operators. So – Franco said – top priority to make this mechanism work but it must work in conditions of certainty that will help the system work better ».
The immediate challenge is falling energy prices
“It is essential that growth is not throttled by expensive energy,” said the premier. «The immediate challenge – underlined Draghi – is the loss of energy. Then the inflation which is attacking the purchasing power of consumers and the competitiveness of businesses. The third big challenge is the realization of the NRP ». To cope with the expensive energy, “impressive figures have already been allocated, about 9.5 billion, but obviously not enough. The government will have to make another speech which will be presented next week. The fundamental lines “of this new intervention are” a supporting part, to contain the emergency; then a more structural part, with the enhancement of energy production; then a part linked to the supply, that is to ensure the supply to the industry at a low and controlled price, therefore “to intervene, for example“ on the storage ”». The government’s priority is on these interventions: «The priority is to ensure growth, fair and sustainable growth, and it is essential that growth is not throttled by expensive energy. Growth is fundamental for all other aspects, for the keeping of accounts and for Italy’s international credibility ”, remarked the Prime Minister.
Recovery is going well
“Minister Giovannini just gave me a table, which will come out in a few days, on the construction of public works and investments in infrastructures and the award of tenders are the highest in the last 20 years and are about 3 times those of the last year . The commitment of the implementers is very strong and the government intends to continue in this way “, underlined Prime Minister Mario Draghi.