Date:
10 December 2018
Bonometti: let us build the future together, with seriousness, pragmatism, a sense of civic duty, commitment and political vision.
Milan, 10 December 2018 – The Presidential Council of Confindustria Lombardia, led by Marco Bonometti, met today in Milan with Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini to discuss the political situation and the needs of businesses.
The President of the Lombardy Region, Attilio Fontana, also attended the meeting.
It was an open and practical discussion, characterised by very firm positions.
The Presidential Council acknowledged Interior Minister Salvini’s productive efforts regarding immigration and security, while awaiting reform of the laws on self-defence and the judicial system, which Bonometti described as antiquated, inefficient, exhausting and inadequate.
The Presidential Council welcomed as a very positive step the meeting held yesterday in Rome between Deputy Prime Minister Salvini and representatives of business associations, while reiterating the need, already expressed by President Boccia, to move from words to action for a decisive change of course in the economic policies pursued by the government to date.
“We represent the Italy that produces, that works, and that has managed to withstand the crisis by investing and innovating” - stated Bonometti. “Our companies pay approximately 40 billion euros in salaries to 700,000 employees each year, and fund around 1.1 million INPS old-age pensions annually through approximately 16 billion in contributions. Killing off business would be an act of euthanasia for Italy, and the government would bear total responsibility for this, including towards future generations. Italy is already severely ill with debt, due to past failings”
“The cure cannot be an increase in debt,” - Bonometti added. “An increase that the budget will certainly produce, while the positive outcomes are merely hopes, the foundations of which are, moreover, disputed by virtually everyone, from the financial and scientific worlds to international institutions and the labour sector, with rare and significant consensus between entrepreneurs and workers.”
Bonometti called for common sense and foresight, “without suicidal adherence to the coalition agreement. Just as was done for the flat tax, which was in the agreement but was wisely postponed to better times.”
Confindustria Lombardia reiterated to Deputy Prime Minister Salvini and the Government the willingness expressed by Confindustria President Boccia to work together on practical matters, to solve long-standing problems, and to foster investment and development for the good of Italy and its growth.
“An important offer of cooperation,” Bonometti emphasised, “because it comes from a region that produces 22% of the GDP and is taking its first steps towards autonomy, which is still to be fully defined. An offer that is not, and does not intend to be, a political gesture,” - Bonometti concluded - “because when storm winds blow, one must lower the flags and focus on saving the citizens, their homes and the granaries. And the country’s granaries, today and tomorrow, are its businesses”.
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