A 2024 consolidated balance sheet which, with a net worth of 6.39 billion, marks the doubling compared to the 3.06 billion of 2023 (a financial year which had already shown a recovery compared to the negative figure of -1.37 billion in 2022). But of the 93 instrumental bodies and companies, part of the Public Administration Group (the acronym is… ‘Gap’), 54 recorded a profit, while 39 recorded an operating loss (there were 32 in 2023), with the most obvious cases being the Cas and most of the Iacp. It emerges from the reading note of 18 March on the «Consolidated budget of the Sicilian Region for the financial year 2024», drawn up by the Ars Budget Service. Among the recommendations: that the procedures for collecting and sharing the data necessary for the preparation of the consolidated financial statements be made more efficient, also with the aid of suitable IT applications; and, above all, that the administration “implement the powers of intervention and control towards the bodies/companies that have not communicated any data or have not approved the budget”. It should be noted that personnel costs stabilize at 1.10 billion, confirming a gradual growth compared to the value of 953.9 million in 2022.
The positive components of management amounted to 23.81 billion, consolidating the incremental trend of 2023 (23.57 billion) compared to the 19.32 billion euros of 2022, driven mainly by tax revenues. The negative management components (which includes all costs inherent to ordinary management, both typical of public bodies and that relating to the acquisition of goods and services) however, amount to 19.41 billion, a slight decrease compared to 2023 (19.56 billion), although remaining higher than the 2022 figure (17.28 billion) due to the greater volume of current transfers.
The difference between positive and negative components is equal to 4.40 billion, an improvement compared to the 4.01 billion euros of 2023 and a clear increase compared to the 2.04 billion of the 2022 financial year. The group’s operating result stood at 3.47 billion in 2024, decreasing compared to the 4.01 billion euros of 2023, although remaining higher than the 2.29 billion of 2022. The overall debt exposure amounts to 14.14 billion, with a reduction in financing debts to 6.23 billion, in continuity with the decrease started in 2023 compared to the 6.74 billion in 2022.
With regard to companies and instrumental entities, the economic performance of the 2024 financial year shows a positive contribution of €97.6 million from the segment of consolidated entities compared to the operating result of the Region. This differential emerges from the comparison between the profit of the Sicilian region alone (3.37 billion) and the corresponding consolidated value of the group (3.47 billion). This evidence, while highlighting a decline compared to the exceptional contribution recorded in the 2023 financial year (equal to 219.8 million), is an improvement compared to 2022.
The positive overall result, however, hides a different situation between companies: the positive results of some entities included in the perimeter compensate for other critical management realities. From the examination of the accounting results for 2024, a marked concentration of asset values emerges in the hands of a small group of entities, among which the Sicilia Pension Fund assumes a position of absolute pre-eminence, the main entity of the entire public administration group with assets exceeding 2.5 billion euros, a net worth of 2.4 billion and a profit of 103.9 million.
At the same time, the importance of the Consortium for Sicilian motorways (Cas) is highlighted, whose capital structure highlights assets of 729 million euros, a positive net worth of 468.7 million euros, but an operating loss of -46,555,697. Compared to the autonomous public housing institutes (Iacp), the accounting evidence highlights the assets of the balance sheet of the offices of Palermo (349 million), Catania (266 million) and Agrigento (194 million). However, the 2024 financial year results highlight, of the 10 institutions, positive data only for Palermo and Catania.
Within the investee companies and financial institutions, we observe the operations of Siciliacque Spa, characterized by assets of 354 million euros and a positive economic result of 1.3 million euros; Irfis FinSicilia spa, which shows assets of 313 million euros and a profit of 3.7 million euros; for separately managed funds, the Sicilia Fund (at Irfis) and the Crias single fund highlight significant assets under administration, with assets of 212 and 133 million euros respectively.
Finally, the document in question highlights situations of clear financial criticality for some entities included in the perimeter, characterized by a negative net worth.
Among the companies in liquidation, we note the cases of Info/Rac-Map Spa, with a negative net worth of -12.4 million and an operating loss of approximately 8 thousand euros, and Biosphera Spa, with a negative net worth of -1.9 million and an operating loss of approximately 25 thousand euros; cultural entities, such as the Teatro Stabile di Catania which has a negative net worth of approximately 1.5 million euros despite having a profit for the year of approximately 769 thousand euros; and recently established bodies, such as Irca which records a negative net worth (-704 thousand euros).