In the initial structure of the maneuver, the replication of the fund to cover the cost increases produced by inflation on Pnrr procurement did not exist, as had been explained in the first control room of the Meloni government. But the alarm over the works of the Plan was such as to change course quickly: to the point that in the latest draft of the budget law arriving on Monday 28 November in the Chamber, the reply of the fund intended for 2023 tenders is even greater than the original, and makes 10 billion available against 7.5 last year.
How the resources will be distributed from 2023 to 2027
However, the sum must make its way into uncomfortable budgetary margins, and this affects the scan of resources: 500 million will be paid in 2023, the rest is spread over 2024-27 with a progression that concentrates 3.5 billion in the last year.
Encore of the extra cost fund
The encore of the extra cost fund had been judged essential above all by the builders and local authorities, who are awaiting the start of a large part of the assignments for the Pnrr works in 2023.
Complex procedure
But for local administrators, other news could be on the way. The first drafts of the maneuver in recent days (without the figures) had aroused discontent over the complex procedure designed for access to contributions from the fund. The procedure envisaged two ministerial lists, in January and June, of the projects to be covered, closely confirmed by the local authorities which then, once the pre-assignment of the contribution was received, would have to indicate the actual needs within five days of completion of the code of each race. In the version circulated on Saturday 25 November, the last passage has disappeared, but the technical meetings follow one another and aim at further simplifications that could be included in the final text or present themselves as amendments in the parliamentary race of the law.
Lots of deserted races
The point is crucial for the mayors who in recent months have already seen many tenders go deserted for a price level that no longer corresponded to the economic frameworks. But it is at least equally so for the government which observes with great concern the rate of actual spending which is much lower than the initial forecasts. “On the 2014-2020 programming we spent about 50% of just over 80 billion – the minister for the Pnrr Raffaele Fitto explained again -, now we should spend a triple figure in five years”.