Highways, Fdi withdraws August toll increase after Salvini's reversal

But what will this extra money be used for? The report explains: 'The proposal,' we read, 'is necessary to identify structural coverage for the incremental requirements needed by Anas to cope with a series of events that have occurred in recent periods (redefinition of the network under Anas management, increased costs for public lighting)'. In this way, any direct reference to the use of the increased resources paid by motorists for road maintenance would seem to disappear.

The proposal immediately sparked political confrontation with the leader of the Democratic Party who, addressing the Prime Minister, stressed that only 'Taxes and propaganda are coming from the government, nothing else. Giorgia Meloni is trying to put an extra tax, this time on Italians going on holiday. She wants to increase motorway tolls from August, to hit when there is more traffic for those travelling on holiday. And he does it with an amendment tabled at the last minute on a decree, because after all, the only need and urgency of government decrees is to put his hands in the pockets of Italians. We have already tabled a sub-amendment to stop them. For three years they have been governing by blocking the minimum wage and doing nothing about the high cost of living and the most expensive bills in Europe, at least have the decency to stop raising taxes across the board on everyone while they churn out an amnesty every month for the clever.

For its part, Fratelli d'Italia, one learns from centre-right sources, is trying to distance itself. The amendment that will lead to an increase in motorway tolls, presented by the rapporteurs to the Infrastructures Decree in the Chamber of Deputies, has registered different positions in the majority. In particular, there was some coldness on the part of FdI, which gave the go-ahead with some disappointment to the proposal wanted by the League.

For Giuseppe Conte of the 5 Stars it is another coup by the Meloni-Salvini-Tajani majority: they have proposed the increase of tolls on motorways from 1 August, so we add another bit of caravans for the holidays (for those who can afford them). But they are cutting taxes: to the billionaire web giants in the US and to the banks that have collected extra profits. We are immediately fighting in Parliament to stop this further increase. Enough.

"While millions of Italians are preparing for their summer holidays, the Meloni government has seen fit to give them a nice present: an increase in motorway tolls. In fact, an amendment to the Infrastructure decree envisages generalised increases from 1 August, affecting not only trucks and lorries, but also cars, motorbikes and camper vans. Is this Giorgia Meloni's social right? A right-wing that raises costs for families who set out on the road and for those who work on the road,' Angelo Bonelli, MP for AVS and co-spokesperson for Europa Verde, pointed out in a note. And he is echoed by Magi of +Europa: 'Given that train delays, taxis that cannot be found, the disastrous conditions of our roads, the rising cost of living and wages stuck at the post are not enough to penalise Italians even more during the summer holidays.