Flood in Emilia Romagna, the Meloni government allocates 2 billion euros to deal with the emergency. Meanwhile today, Wednesday 24 May, is a day of national mourning. The number of victims rises to 15: the latest found yesterday in the waters in the Belricetto area in Lugo in the Ravenna area.
First emergency measures
From taxes to bills, from layoffs to the fund for companies: the 2 billion provision was approved by the council of ministers. On government decisions, the premier Giorgia Meloni so she expressed herself. “This first provision provides overall an allocation of over 2 billion euros for flood-affected areas. In the past, emergency interventions worth 2 billion euros, I don't know if they had been seen.
In the current situation, finding 2 billion euros in a few days is not easy. I think the whole government should be acknowledged for having dedicated itself to this emergency with the maximum possible concentration, availability and effectiveness ". There is also a suspension of the terms relating to fulfilments and tax and social security payments until 31 August, therefore, with resumption of payments until 20 November. The decree also provides for the deferment for the municipalities and provinces of the payment of mortgages towards Cassa depositi e prestiti.
Culture and justice
The government passed an ordinance of Civil protection which extends the state of emergency to all the municipalities that were affected by the second wave of the flood and which were not foreseen in the first. This, subject to extending the state of emergency also to the affected municipalities in the Marche and Tuscany, which however need another route. And, again, the Minister of Culture Sangiuliano provides for the temporary increase of one euro in admission tickets to museums. The proceeds that will come from this measure will be used to restore the cultural heritage affected by the flood. As far as justice is concerned, the postponement of civil and criminal trials is envisaged, when one of the parties or the defense lawyer resides in the affected areas and the suspension until 31 August for what concerns administrative, accounting, military and tax judgements.
School and work
The decree law approved by the government provides for a 20 million euro fund for educational continuity. “We have empowered the Minister of Education, with ordinance, to work with a certain flexibility for the fulfillment of the final exams according to the needs of the institutes involved. Also the university minister provides for the possibility of distance learning and exams. We are working - said Meloni - for the purchase of computers to be made available to those students who have to operate with distance learning and who do not have one ". “We envisage layoffs in derogation for all employees up to 90 days. Overall, this measure is covered up to 580 million euro. We also provide a one-off payment of up to 3 euros for self-employed workers forced to stop working. This measure – underlined the premier – has a coverage of up to 300 million euros”.
Emergency also for healthcare and businesses
The prime minister said the government “provides for a strengthening of access to the guarantee fund for small and medium-sized enterprises. The expected increase in the guarantee also reaches 100 percent with coverage of 110 million euros”. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also provided for "non-repayable contributions for exporting companies damaged by the flood, drawn from the Simest fund, with coverage of a further 300 million euros". Always there Ministry of Foreign Affairs has prepared "the creation of a reserved quota of 400 million euros for the disbursement of loans at subsidized rates with non-repayable quotas of 10 per cent". And, again, the Ministry of Health has made 8 million euros available for the first interventions to restore health facilities. Furthermore, the acknowledgment of training credits to healthcare personnel working in the municipalities concerned is envisaged.
(Photo governo.it/Emilia Romagna Region)
