Government at work amid high fuel costs and security. Meloni-Giorgetti meeting

The government is once again evaluating the mobile excise duty mechanism to mitigate the increases for motorists. This was reported by sources from Palazzo Chigi, explaining that today there was a discussion between Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the Minister of Economy on the high cost of fuel. As regards mobile excise duties, the data on July collections should arrive around August 8, so it is possible that we will have to proceed with a new cut in excise duties by finding resources somewhere else. The prime minister and the head of the MEF are focused on the possible initiatives to be adopted, starting from the possibility of using the extra VAT revenue generated by the increase in prices to lighten the tax burden on fuel. The head of the Economy had already anticipated this a few days ago, underlining however the lack of resources on the table. “We will evaluate” this tool, he anticipated, “if necessary we will intervene”, the Mimit manager Adolfo Urso reiterated. The escalation of the conflict in the Middle East and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz are weighing heavily.
The opportunity to intervene could also be on 4 August, when the last meeting of the Council of Ministers could be held before the summer break. The center-left is on the barricades. “The increase in fuel prices in July and August leads to an increase in spending for families by 700 million euros – attack the group leaders Francesco Boccia, Chiara Braga and Nicola Zingaretti -. Faced with the increases throughout Italy, the government has given up, thrown in the towel. It doesn’t know how to move and is in total embarrassment”. Former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is on the same wavelength: “Incredible, they still leave Italians alone – he says -. They left the Council of Ministers empty-handed: zero interventions on fuel prices which are skyrocketing to over 2 euros per liter and which are devouring citizens’ purchasing power and salaries”. But it is not just the issue of fuel increases that is at the center of the action of the executive and the majority.

The files on the table

In the foreground is the security dossier (with the centre-right parties aiming to ‘own’ the measures, taking away space for Roberto Vannacci’s offensives): from the Fakir case to the Roggero affair, from the strenuous defense of the police forces to civil compensation for those who commit serious crimes, so that they are no longer owed by the victims. From the Northern League member Borghi’s proposal to amend the law on self-defense to the provision passed yesterday by the Council of Ministers to lower the attributable age of minors by reversing the burden of proof.
But it will also be a hot week for the issues of justice (the decree which also concerns the issue of immigration will be discussed in the Senate: the provision goes to the Chamber without a mandate to the rapporteur and Fdi, to the satisfaction of FI, should no longer present the so-called ‘Melillo amendments’ in the chamber to widen the mesh of trawl wiretaps) and the electoral law. The deadline for the amendments will be set by early August and Fratelli d’Italia, upon input from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, will insert the preferences into the text, trusting that upon open scrutiny there will be no distinction in the centre-right.

The vote on energy before the holidays

Before the summer closing of the parliamentary chambers there will also be a vote on the resolution on the flexibility granted by the EU on energy. It will resume at the beginning of September when, pending the budget law, the Senate will give the green light to the reform of the voting system. And when in fact the Prime Minister will start the electoral campaign by concluding the event on 4 and 5 September – it will probably be held in Bari, certainly in a southern city – which will celebrate the record of the longest-serving government in the history of the Republic.