The examination of the maneuver in the Budget Committee of the Chamber is bogged down and therefore the arrival in the Chamber scheduled until now for next Monday is postponed.
The opposition is on the attack, stigmatizing, among other things, the lack of clarity on the timing and content of a measure that the government is "effectively rewriting". And they are asking for the intervention of the Minister of Economy in the commission .
The case of salaries
Meanwhile, the controversy over the amendment by the rapporteurs that equates the compensation of non-parliamentary ministers to elected ones does not subside. There are 17 'technical' members, i.e. non-parliamentary, of the Meloni government: 8 ministers plus 9 other vice-ministers and undersecretaries. Among the ministers, there are the heads of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi, of Defense Guido Crosetto, of Education Giuseppe Valditara, of Labor Marina Calderone, of Health Orazio Schillaci, of Culture Alessandro Giuli, for Disabilities Alessandra Locatelli and of Sport Andrea Abodi.
They will be the ones to benefit from the amendment presented by the rapporteurs of the maneuver that provides for their salary to be equalized with that of their colleagues in the executive who were elected to the Chamber or the Senate. Approximately 1.3 million euros gross per year are expected to be covered starting in 2025. For now, ministers will receive an allowance of approximately 5 thousand euros, plus 3,500 euros for flat-rate expenses that are not due to them if they remain out of Rome for more than 15 days a month. A constraint that parliamentarians do not have and that the majority amendment extends to all government representatives. In addition to the allowance, non-parliamentary ministers and undersecretaries would also be entitled to other items such as daily allowances and reimbursements for expenses for the exercise of their mandate, telephone expenses and travel. According to calculations made by Il Sole 24 Ore, the salary of ministers, vice-ministers and "technical" undersecretaries would increase by 7,193.11 euros per month: 3,503.11 euros more than the daily allowance and another 3,690 euros in reimbursements for the exercise of the mandate. To these are added reimbursements for travel and telephone expenses for 1,200 euros.
The opposition
A "maximum salary" for government members, M5S leader Giuseppe Conte and Dem secretary Elly Schlein attack in unison. Which, according to what the deputy minister at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Maurizio Leo, underlines, attracting more than a few ironies from the opposition, concerns a "decision of the parliamentarians". Even the Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto underlines how the choice comes from the rapporteurs of the maneuver and claims that in the government "for two years we have served, with discipline and honor" the State "without asking ourselves what the economic treatment is". In any case, while saying he agrees with the specific measure, he suggests that it applies "to those who come after us". "I believe - also highlights the minister Antonio Tajani - that it is right that a minister who is not a parliamentarian receives the same allowance as a colleague who is".
Times are getting longer
Meanwhile, the time is getting longer on the discussion of the budget law, a complicated game - it is explained - also due to the need to avoid a maxi-amendment that could have been inadmissible. And at the end of various stop and go, only in the evening were the amendments announced for Friday deposited. The opposition, in any case, stigmatizes the failure to respect the agreements on the times and the lack of presence of the technical reports that usually accompany the government's amendments.
During the day, however, several drafts of the changes have filtered out. Many of the confirmations of the rules resulting from the agreement reached in the last majority summit with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the deputy prime ministers, the leader of Noi Moderati and the Minister of Economy Giancarlo Giorgetti. The rewarding Ires, which drops by 4 points for those who invest and hire with a contribution from the banks; the reduction of the tax on cryptocurrencies and the exclusion of start-ups from the web tax. But also the bonus for household appliances, wanted by the League as well as the family dowry fund for families with an ISEE below 15 thousand euros for extra-curricular sports and recreational activities for children between 6 and 14 years old. And a mini increase also emerges for the minimum pensions of the over 70s.
(Online Union)