"We must exploit the characteristics of Sardinia and focus not only on tourism but also on industry ".
The president of Confindustria, Carlo Bonomi , is convinced of this, who landed on the island to participate in the assembly organized by Confindustria Sardegna Meridionale , hosted at Cagliari-Elmas airport ( THE CHRONICLE OF THE DAY ).
"OPTIMISM" - On the state of health of the Sardinian economy, Bonomi invited us to be "optimistic". "Sardinia - he underlined - has already demonstrated over the years that it is possible to do industry and manufacture. And it can be done competitively. Of course, we must create the conditions - added Bonomi - and in this sense the infrastructures are essential ".
ENERGY - Bonomi in his speeches touched on various topics, including that of energy: "They have kept Sardinia away from methane. And the paradox, now, is that we are talking about methane in Sardinia right now that it costs more", he highlighted .
ECB - And then the announcement by the ECB to raise interest rates and stop buying government bonds as part of the Pepp program designed to help EU countries cope with the Covid-19 emergency. "I understand the interventions of the ECB to curb inflation, but the monetary route is not the solution to the problem," said Bonomi.
THE WAR - Then the description of the general situation at national and international level: “The very critical economic situation does not arise today with the conflict in Ukraine : raw materials and energy have increased since last year. Certainly the war has accentuated the slowdown ", explained Bonomi.
INCOME AND WELFARE - "Twenty billion plus ten billion have been spent on citizenship income - continued the president of Confindustria - we agree on these social measures, but it is not good that they are instruments of active policies for the work: let's think about the navigator paradox ".
As far as welfare is concerned, Bonomi speaks of "eight hundred billion of spending to avoid solving the country's problems: we have only doubled the number of poor people, passing to 5.6 million. We have broken down our social welfare". And then 'quota one hundred': "They were giving other numbers - said Bonomi - and instead INPS said that the substitution process stopped at 0.4".
MINIMUM WAGE - Regarding the debate on the minimum wage , “it is not a topic of Confindustria, it is a proposal for a European directive that has yet to be approved. Among other things, there is no obligation to transpose ", said Bonomi.
"We are talking about a gross salary of nine euros per hour, the collective agreements of Confindustria are all higher. If the government wants to do it, it does so by taking responsibility. The important thing is that it does it well and that it does not make a disaster by applying something that weakens the national collective bargaining ", he concluded.
LUSSU - The president of Confindustria concluded his speech by quoting the words of Emilio Lussu: "We must not lower our eyes - he said - even in the face of difficulties: together we will succeed".
ARGIOLAS - The president of Confindustria Sardegna Meridionale Antonello Argiolas also spoke at the assembly ( VIDEO ): "This meeting - said Argiolas - takes place in a particularly complex and critical moment due to the tragic war events that add up to amplify the long effects economic and social aspects of the pandemic ".
“For Sardinian entrepreneurs, who have demonstrated a great capacity for resistance despite the enormous difficulties, it is even more essential now to find the necessary energy to react and set up a path of growth. Starting from a positive and shared spirit between institutions and social partners that makes it possible to overcome the serious diseconomies connected with insularity, addressing the historical problems that continue to compromise the competitiveness of businesses: energy, maritime territorial continuity of goods and air, infrastructures and efficiency of the public administration ".
THE DATA - "Sardinia - underlined Argiolas - in 2020 lost two percentage points of GDP per inhabitant compared to the EU average, further worsening its position among the European regions, from 178th to 182nd place, with a GDP per inhabitant 68% of the EU average. This negative figure is accompanied by another even more negative one: the unstoppable demographic decrease ”.
THE INCREASE IN PRICES - But the real dramatic emergency of recent months for companies, Argiolas highlighted, "is the uncontrolled and dizzying increase in energy costs which, together with the increase in raw material costs, has already led to many companies to the reduction and suspension of activities, up to the risk of definitive closure. For this reason, Confindustria's pressing actions to solicit our national government have been accompanied and supported ”.
“In the conversion of the latest energy decree into law, it was obtained that the benefits of renewable sources in the electricity market were primarily transferred to small and medium-sized enterprises and to those located in the major islands. However, in order for the Energy Release provision to be effectively effective - concluded Argiolas - to help reduce, albeit partially, the considerable competitive gap in our energy costs, it is now important to ensure maximum dialogue with the Ministry of Ecological Transition which is responsible for the decrees. implementation ".
SOLINAS - In Elmas also the governor of the Region Christian Solinas : "The Region fully accepts the challenge of the business world, so precious for the Sardinian economy", said Solinas. Adding: "Our region is struggling to overcome the pandemic crisis to open a new phase of development, a challenge that I want to be conducted in a perspective and in a spirit of full collaboration between institutions to write together not only the use of resources available today, but to try to trace the prospects for Sardinia in the coming decades ".
“The pandemic - continued Solinas - forced a review of the political agenda of governments around the world, and had absolutely unprecedented effects on the economic system. Despite the difficulties, the action of the regional council even in the most difficult phase has implemented and implemented, as the Bank of Italy and the Court of Auditors have certified, effective measures that are giving a positive result ".
MURA - “The minimum wage is important to do it well, giving centrality and protagonism to bargaining and to the role of the social partners. But the great reforms are done together: minimum wages, tax wedge cuts and contract renewals are the package of interventions that for us must be carried out by sitting all at the same table, without anyone holding back. In this comparison, the categories have an essential part and responsibility ”. Thus the president of the Labor commission of the Chamber Romina Mura (Pd) today in Cagliari, commenting on the words of the national president of Confindustra at the general assembly of Confindustria of southern Sardinia.
“If the country is not competitive - added the parliamentarian - it is also because for too many years companies have not invested enough in innovation, research and training, always cutting only on the work side. The industrial policy and the active policies that we want serve precisely to permanently reverse this negative course. But even here - concluded Mura - the course changes if we all row on the same side ”.
(Unioneonline / lf)
