There is more alarmism in relation to
the EU-funded post-Covid National Recovery and Resilience Plan
(NRRP) in Italy than there is in Europe, Premier Giorgia Meloni
said on Wednesday.
"I have spoken with (European Commission President Ursula) Von
der Leyen," Meloni told reporters after the NATO summit in
Vilnius, Lithuania.
"The Commission has said that the work with the government is
ongoing and that it is bearing fruit. I see much more alarmism
on the Italian side than in the EU," she said.
On Tuesday opposition parties reiterated concerns about the
government's ability to land the funding after the NRRP task
force approved changes to 10 out of 27 targets related to the
fourth installment of payment, worth 16 billion euros.
Italy is still waiting for the European Commission to sign off
on the 19-billion-euro third tranche, which is months overdue.
Payments are only made on condition that all the agreed targets
have been met.
"I don't know how much this controversy from the opposition
actually helps," said Meloni.
"We have to remember that we are working on a plan that we did
not draw up. We are doing our best and we would like to see
someone lend a hand instead of scaremongering," she added.
To date Italy has received nearly 67 billion euros in funding,
but in recent months the plan has been at the centre of
political tension linked to fears it will not be possible to
complete all the projects and meet all the targets by the final
deadline of 2026.
On Tuesday Democratic Party (PD) leader Elly Schlein called on
Premier Giorgia Meloni to report to parliament on the situation.
"Premier Meloni should take on her responsibilities and come to
parliament to explain why not even one euro of the third
installment of the NRRP has yet materialized and why the fourth
installment risks being delayed too," said Schlein.
"She should remember that we are talking about resources
regarding strategic investments for business, jobs and people's
lives, and obtaining them is essential to get the country
moving".
The NRRP envisages in total 191.5 billion euros of funding for
Italy, of which 69 billion euros in grants and 122.5 billion
euros in loans.
In exchange Italy must meet 525 objectives (milestones and
targets) and introduce a series of reforms and make investments
focusing on the ecological and digital transitions in
particular.
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