Tomorrow afternoon the Council of Ministers will proceed with a new extension of a few days, sources hypothesize until the end of August, of the cut in excise duties on fuel: the discount currently in force is 17 cents per liter on diesel only. For the following weeks, however, the executive is studying more selective measures, in favor of the income groups and professional categories most burdened by the impact of the rise in energy goods caused by the ongoing conflict between the USA and Israel against Iran since February 28th.
The choice in view of the CDM was agreed in a meeting between the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the deputy prime ministers Antonio Tajani and Matteo Salvini, the leader of Noi Moderates Maurizio Lupi and the Minister of Economy Giancarlo Giorgetti. «A Council of Ministers is scheduled for tomorrow, which should extend the measures already in force for a few days, so as to allow the Government to work on a more targeted intervention». The one expiring tomorrow, the same sources specify, “will not be the definitive measure, but will serve to allow the provision to be finalized in the time necessary”. The objective is to prepare “a measure more concentrated on the income groups that most need state support, thus making the intervention more effective and selective”, underline the same sources.
«In the meantime we will extend the diesel discount and then we are thinking in the longer term», explains the deputy prime minister and leader of the League, Matteo Salvini, on the sidelines of the Rimini Meeting. The discount on fuel will be extended, says the Northern League leader, «for a few days, until September, I imagine. Then I would like to do something more continuous, more substantial, and therefore money is needed.”
The problem is always that of the resources to be found
The node always remains that of the resources available. The current cut in excise duties has been active since 5 August, while with various modulations – 7 measures have been implemented – the discount on fuel has been ongoing since 19 March. The government’s intervention so far has required a spending commitment of 2 billion. The executive constantly monitors the price of crude oil, in the hope of an easing of global tensions with a consequent drop in the price of energy goods.
On the counter-exodus roads, Italians could find prices at the pump consistently above 2 euros per litre. Codacons reports that the psychological threshold of 3 euros per liter has already been exceeded, with Supreme Diesel reaching 3.159 euros per liter on the A-22 Brennero-Modena. The consumer association says “no to targeted discounts, bonuses or social cards reserved only for certain income groups” and asks that “any new measure against high fuel prices must concern all motorists”.
Meanwhile, a company estimates that Denmark remains the European Union country with the most expensive fuel, with petrol costing 2,445 euros per liter and diesel 2,250 euros, while Italy is seventh in the EU ranking.
The opposition is skeptical about the new measures arriving. For Angelo Bonelli of Avs: «If Giorgia Meloni really wants to protect Italians, propose a rule that, in compliance with the Constitution, allows an administered price of fuel to be set by law for a temporary period, so as to protect families and businesses». (AGI)