(ANSA) - TRIESTE, 21 MAG - We host a speech by Antonio
Paoletti, president of the Venezia Giulia Chamber of
Commerce."What terrible deeds have we done to be looked at
through the lens of suspicion by many European countries? Italy
is ready to open its borders to return to a normal movement of
people and goods, but many do not take into consideration the
possibility of doing the same with Italian citizens. In the past
months, Italy has been one of the hardest-hit countries by the
Covid-19 crisis - and this was not our fault -, but we have
shown consistency in our choices and many countries have
followed our procedures, precisely because Italy was hit first
in Europe but adopted effective measures.Italy is one of the
EU's founders and among those that contribute most of all to the
livelihood of the EU itself. In 2018, for example, we spent
15.215 billion euros, because the contribution is based on the
resources of each country. A large country in an emergency such
as the ongoing pandemic has been forced to face greater health
care costs and suffer bigger economic damage than smaller
states. Therefore, we are perplexed by a closure to aid with
non-repayable grants from the EU, which is opposed by countries
such as Sweden (in 2018, the country contributed 3.303 bn), the
Netherlands (in 2018, 4.845 bn) and, with some amazement at the
rigidity shown in the last few days, by Austria, which in 2018
contributed just 3.277 bn into the Brussels coffers.Looking at
these figures and thinking about the solidarity that should
characterize the EU, I wonder why Italy, which has contributed
large amounts of funds into European coffers annually, in such a
dramatic situation caused by Covid-19 crisis should be
considered a country that does not deserve contributions but
only mortgages to compensate for the expenses incurred to save
the lives of its citizens. And let's not forget, these citizens
are also European citizens. In Italy, tens of thousands of
people have died and tens of thousands of companies will no
longer open.No tragedy of this magnitude has happened to any
country in Europe and now that help is needed, we are looked at
through the lens of suspicion, or considered as 'plague
spreaders' to be kept away from your borders. This scenario must
push us to the awareness that only we Italians can be able to
help our country get out of this difficult situation. It is now
more necessary than ever to buy Italian products thinking of
bringing the factories back to Italy, given the recent Istat
data which show that relocation abroad is no longer essential.
Moreover, we buy in our stores and not on e-commerce sites of
foreign multinationals with offices in tax havens that do not
contribute to our country's coffers. We travel across Italy to
let each of us become a gear of the re-ignition of the Italian
economy, rediscovering and cultivating our national pride. Our
future depends on all of us, only by spending and investing in
our country will we generate the revenues that the State and the
Regions will allocate to public health, which has paid a lot,
even in human lives, for its commitment to saving Itay's
future."(ANSA).
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