The Council of Ministers gives the go-ahead to the Draft Budget Law. Approval for the draft decree on the former Ilva site and for measures concerning the Campi Flegrei

Autonomy: Calderoli gives the go-ahead for final agreements

“Today, in the Council of Ministers, the Autonomy reform has taken a decisive step forward: we have signed the final agreements with the four regions that have embarked on this process, approving the draft final agreements, and passed the respective bills for Liguria, Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto. This is an important and, above all, decisive institutional step for the reform, which is now ready to begin its passage through Parliament.” This was stated in a press release by the Minister for Regional Affairs and Autonomies, Roberto Calderoli, commenting on the approval of the final agreements by the Council of Ministers.

“Ensuring further forms and specific conditions of autonomy for the regions,” he adds, “is not only one of the cornerstones of the programme with which the centre-right won the elections, but also, and above all, a historic battle for the League, which has never been so close to realising it. We have worked hard on this, with conviction and without respite, and now the result is closer than ever. There is just one final stretch to go in Parliament, and I can’t wait to get started.”

“On behalf of the government, I have overseen the process of reforming the Statute of Trentino-Alto Adige; the reform of the Statute of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, approved today by the Council of Ministers – a matter even closer to my heart – is moving in the same direction. This demonstrates the executive’s commitment to the autonomous regions and their specific characteristics. Today’s decision marks an important first step towards updating and expanding the powers of my region, always in accordance with the principle that greater autonomy means greater responsibility, with particular reference to the key issue, namely the protection of cultural heritage”. This was stated by Luca Ciriani, Minister for Relations with Parliament.

“The State does not promise to eliminate risk – something that is impossible – but it does undertake the duty to reduce exposure and vulnerability, to prepare the population to evacuate when necessary, to rebuild what the earthquake has destroyed, and to enable those who request it to bring their buildings up to anti-seismic standards”. This was stated by the Minister for Civil Protection and Maritime Policy, Nello Musumeci, at a press conference following the Council of Ministers meeting, whilst explaining the Extraordinary Plan for the Campi Flegrei, “a measure that marks a turning point in civil protection policy for the Campi Flegrei, particularly in terms of prevention”.

“This is not an emergency law but a law on prevention,” explained Musumeci. “The Campi Flegrei area,” he emphasised, “cannot be equated with a traditional earthquake-prone area. There is no seismic event followed by reconstruction and a return to normality. There is a very large population,” he added, “living above an active volcanic system affected by a recurring bradyseismic crisis that may persist for a long time but may also cease, with inevitable margins of uncertainty. I like to talk about living consciously with the risk.”