With a
country bill
that could "
rise to 100 billion
",
Economy Minister Daniele Franco
sees "
problematic prospects in the immediate future
", but plans "
this year too
" to "
reduce the debt-to-product ratio by a few points. percentages
".
This is the message he launched in his last meeting with entrepreneurs at the end of the second day of
the Ambrosetti Forum in Cernobbio
, which began this morning with the words of the President of the Republic
Sergio Mattarella
.
"
To ensure this reduction
- underlines the Minister -
we have kept unchanged, in all the interventions we have made,
at 5.6%
the debt target for this year
".
"
If we had a lower debt
- he adds -
we would certainly have more room for maneuver. And to reacquire these margins it is good that the debt reduction continues
".
In fact, Franco sees a "
slowdown in the world economy
compared to previous revisions
", indicating among the causes "
gas and energy prices and a progressive increase in interest rates
".
According to the Minister, "
the economic indicators are for the immediate downward trend
, already in June there is a slowdown in industrial production and an inflation rate rising to 8.4%
".
In his opinion, however, "
it is important that the Italian harmonized index is aligned with that of the euro area
" because "
we absolutely must avoid a misalignment with respect to other countries
".
To
cope
with the crisis and the expensive energy, in total, "
with six decrees we have allocated 52 billion, a gigantic figure, returning to the economic system the revenues that came from the recovery of production and inflation
".
As for
gas
, "
if you look at the country's energy bill, that is how much net energy imports cost, we see that in 2021 it was 43 billion and in 2022 it could rise to
100 billion
".
"
An increase of 60 billion
- he continues -
means about 3 points of GDP and means an outflow of resources from Italy to foreign countries
".
An issue, that of energy, on which the Government will intervene "
next week
with a decree law
", even if "
chasing
" the price increase is no longer enough because "
the important point is to reduce the price
"of energy resources, also leveraging the role of the Ttf (the Amsterdam gas exchange). In any case, he specified that currently Italy has reached 83% of the gas storage capacity"
this volume will allow us to deal with next winter, which is not going to be easy
".
Hence the need to
continue with the PNRR
, as also indicated by the Head of State.
"
The production costs of the works
- Franco points out -
are rising and we will have to find financing methods to be able to build all the planned works
".
But "
completing the construction of the NRP is essential
".
"
I believe
- he adds -
that it is unthinkable to rewrite it, because it would be
a way to block its realization
".
Moreover, the Plan "
aims to increase growth in the medium term
".
Finally, Franco leaves Cernobbio preparing
to pass the baton to his successor
.
"
Reforms are fundamental, it is essential to move forward and there are still many things to do
", he explains, underlining that "we
need concreteness
".
"
In evaluating any economic policy solution today
- he concludes -
it is necessary to have
three criteria
in mind : if it is a measure that promotes growth, if it guarantees financial sustainability and if it has a concrete feasibility
".