Govt approves 'save-home' building pardon

(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 24 - Premier Giorgia Meloni's cabinet on Friday approved the 'save-home' (salva-casa) decree proposed by Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini to enable property owners to have small-scale illegal building work pardoned.
    "We promised it and we did it," League leader Salvini, who is also deputy premier, said via social media after the cabinet meeting.
    "It's a common-sense decree that regularizes small deformities, freeing council offices of millions of construction cases and restoring full use of the properties to the legitimate owners".
    Salvini has stressed that the measure is not a full-blown amnesty on illegal building work, which Italy has had many of in the past, in part in order to raise revenues by getting property owners to pay to have the irregularities pardoned.
    Critics say such measures encourage illegal building work.
    "I'm very pleased with this intervention," Salvini subsequently told a news conference on Friday.
    "Once it is published in the Official Gazette, it will have a decisive impact on the the homes of millions of Italians.
    "It is a liberal revolution.
    "It is a beautiful day not only for owners, but also for the entire building sector".
    He said one of the key elements is the "silent assent" replaces "silent rejection," meaning the authorities will effectively give the green light if the do not respond in time to a request, rather than turning it down by default. (ANSA).