The interview

Schifani: 'Drought in Sicily, control room to speed up interventions'

The President of the Sicilian Region: the money is there, we need regulatory exemptions on the Genoa model for the reconstruction of the Morandi bridge

by Nino Amadore

4 August 2024

RENATO SCHIFANI, PRESIDENTE REGIONE SICILIA

4' min read

Key points

Genoa model to overcome the emergency
The Desalinator Map
Support for business and the economy

4' min read

"It is necessary to move from diagnosis to treatment quickly and effectively. In order to manage the emergency, we have set up a control room, an operational and streamlined structure that has already identified and coordinated rapid and concrete interventions to provide answers in the emergency phase. In the meantime, we have planned numerous investments in the water sector using EU and Fsc funds, while much is in the pipeline through Pnrr funds'.

Genoa model for overcoming the emergency

Speaking is the President of the Sicilian Region, Renato Schifani, who rattles off numbers, data and programmes to tackle a situation, that of the water crisis, which he has inherited. With the awareness that it must be resolved as quickly as possible. The model, to avoid finding ourselves in the same situation next year, is still the one used for the reconstruction of the Morandi bridge in Genoa. The president does not say so, but all elements lead there: regulatory exemptions are needed, the money is there.

How many resources do we have to restore our water infrastructure?

For emergency interventions there are the 20 million assigned by the State with the declaration of the state of emergency to which we have added another 38 million from the regional budget. 90 million from the Fsc will be used for the revamping of the three desalination plants. 300 million are earmarked for securing the dams and another 140 million for the drinking water networks. More than 70 million have been earmarked under the ERDF for water infrastructure renewal interventions for the recovery of losses and the construction of desalination plants on small islands. Then, more than 60 million are earmarked for the recovery of storage volumes in the region's artificial reservoirs and the interconnection between river basins, and the reuse of purified effluents. You do the math.

On the timing? Some say that this is the right time to intervene on dams.

This is the most favourable time to take action on the removal of sand from inside the Sicilian reservoirs. This removal activity is fundamental to increase the water storage capacity and has been absent since their construction in the 1950s and 1960s. The time needed to remove the dams is long because of the environmental procedures of the projects, but there is a 55 million programme that we will try to speed up by asking for regulatory exemptions in Rome.

The Desalinator Map

There is the issue of desalinators. What is needed to reactivate them?

We have verified the technical and economic feasibility and annual operating costs. These are obsolete plants on three existing sites that need to be almost completely replaced. We have earmarked 90 million, 18 months of work are needed, but I will soon request extraordinary powers from the national government to reduce the time of the procedures.

Let's talk about the countryside: farmers and breeders look worried about the future.

The 20 million hay vouchers were approved five days after the deadline for farmers' applications on 12 July. Agricultural organisations and farmers have been in a position to order hay since that date. The first loads will arrive in Enna and Syracuse next week. For wheat, the region has allocated 10 million in addition to the 15 million already earmarked by Masaf to meet the expenses of the new agricultural year.

There is the issue of the Consorzi di bonifica. There was a reform to be done, what happened to it?

The reform of the Consorzi di bonifica, presented by us in June 2023, is ready in the Ars for the final vote: once approved, it will allow water to be paid at the right price and will favour investments.

International media are talking about the flight of tourists because of the drought.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: it's fake news, there is no flight and the hoteliers confirm it. In a few days we will start with a big international communication campaign to tell the true Sicily.

A few days ago the Ars approved the Manovra ter: money that was not there and now is there. What is the challenge when the holidays return?

Growth policies, which we are pursuing with determination, have enabled us to sign a new public finance agreement with the State, under which certain operational constraints have been reduced and the release of the generational turnover of personnel has been authorised. Thanks to financial consolidation, the new deficit/GDP ratio has become one of the best in Italy, going from 8.3% in 2023 to 4.3% thanks to the increase in tax revenues as a result of the economic policy choices we have made. We have also speeded up payments to our creditors by injecting timely liquidity. And the rating agencies have certified this by improving their rating.

Support for business and the economy

This is the balance of what has been done and the future?

We will make around 1.5 billion available to businesses by supporting the establishment of new companies and the financing of the different needs of SMEs. We have earmarked EUR 45 million for SMEs, which will be used to reduce the cost of money. Specific attention is devoted to attracting large domestic and foreign industrial groups that will be supported in their investments.

The open issue is that of investment in innovation.

We have approved the Ripresa Sicilia Plus measure that will be launched by the end of 2024 with the publication of the notice by then. It has a budget of 120 million for investments that should have an average cut of 10 million as if they were development contracts. A measure that can be managed in a streamlined manner thanks to the synergy and strengthening of Irfis, the regional finance company, for which new hires and a long list of experts are planned.