New warning from Bank of Italy on differentiated autonomy. The Central Credit Institute intervenes once again on the reform currently being examined by the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the Chamber, after the first “yes” received in the Senate. The reason for the latest stance is very clear: a clear opposition to the possibility of seeing “preferential lanes” for those Regions that were the first to move in asking for greater powers and resources. The reference, of course, is to Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna.
In the latest memorandum made public, Bankitalia says it is concerned about the “transitional provision” provided for in the eleventh and final article of the bill signed by the Northern League Minister of Regional Affairs Roberto Calderoli. The provision is commented as follows: «The current version of article 11 of the bill seems to envisage an automatic continuation of the procedure» for the «Regions that have already signed preliminary agreements in previous legislatures». Everything revolves around the preliminary agreements signed on 28 February 2018 by the Gentiloni government with three regions: Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia Romagna, precisely.
The agreements introduce an “innovative” method to calculate the standard needs for the services to be transferred to the Regions (such as school, healthcare, transport, etc.). Well, in those Regions-government pacts it is argued that it is necessary to take into account not only the needs of the population but also tax revenue, establishing that a territory with above-average wealth has greater needs for education, health protection and so on. We are, evidently, faced with the introduction of a dangerous principle for the stability of the Italian system, namely that citizens have different needs and requirements depending on the latitudes.
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