«In that draft on Linkedin there are political and non-technical remarks. Many relics of the past defend their interests»- Corriere.it

Minister, were you aware of the document of the Senate Budget Service that was released on Tuesday in a singular way?

“I saw that an ad hoc summary of a document that is known to my offices because they have been working on it for some time has been circulated online,” replies Roberto Calderoli, Northern League member, head of the Autonomies department.

Those who met her on Tuesday evening say she was very annoyed.

“Yes, due to the way in which it was published, due to the roughness of the terminology used and because I saw a political interpretation by a body that should be technical”.

But that document exists, it’s not a «vellum».
«Some of the reliefs it contains are acceptable, others much less so. There are statements with conditional verbs, others that are doubtful».

What document is it, then? Citizens don’t understand.
«There is this draft but there is also a work by the Senate research office which preceded this one and which has not raised any objection. The same document of the Budget Service should have highlighted the numbers, not exaggerated them to fuel the confusion».

Do they want to put a spoke in the wheel?
“It seems clear enough to me. That synthesis seems political to me, certainly not technical».

And who wants to stop the project that is so dear to her? Is there a frond in your majority or do you think of something else?
«I see opponents not so much in the South, which has not yet understood the extraordinary potential of Autonomy, but in Roman centralism which has every interest in not touching anything, in leaving a system unchanged which guarantees those who benefit from the perpetuation of the quo”.

Launch somewhat general accusations, minister.
“It’s full of public officials with interests to defend. It’s not a question of left or right here. It’s much simpler than it looks.”

What does he mean?
“I’ll tell you with a joke: governments and legislatures pass, officials stay”.

But don’t you have an identikit in your head?
«What does he want, he knows how many relics of the past there are in circulation…».

Will this incident somehow slow down your progress in forced stages in order to get the go-ahead for Autonomy within the year?
«It is clear that the dust that has arisen plays into the hands of those who oppose change. I’m glad to hear it? Absolutely not, it’s obvious. I would like to discuss the dossiers only in Parliament. Are there any critical issues? Let’s see them together, let’s compare and see if we can find solutions that take account of the balance».

But do you confirm that if you don’t get the reforms you have in mind, would you be ready to leave politics?
“It’s all very simple. Reforms are my reason for living. I threw myself into this experience many years ago because I had the ambition to help change the country. So, either I bring home results or it’s fair to ask what is the point of continuing in public engagement. Sounds like basic common sense to me. But let me make one last observation…».

Please.
«Anyone who has doubts or remarks to advance, forget about the little hands and the attempts to create confusion. Ultimately, Parliament is sovereign. That is where the reform will be voted on. And the deputies and senators elected by the citizens will vote for it, not officials of this or that body ».

The Political Diary newsletter

If you want to stay updated on political news, subscribe to the newsletter “Political Diary”. It is dedicated to Corriere della Sera subscribers and arrives twice a week at 12. Just click here.