Social distancing and facemasks
will be needed in phase two of the coronavirus emergency until a
vaccine is ready for use, Premier Giuseppe Conte said Tuesday.
A contact tracing app will be voluntary and without penalties
for those who don't sign up, he added in briefing the Senate on
phase two.
The premier said "we will reactivate the country's economic
engine with a structured programme" and said that social
distancing norms would be "modified" in phase two.
Conte stressed that reopening activities must be achieved
according to a "homogeneous" programme, implemented on a
national basis despite differences in regional governors'
requests.
"Phase two will be complex and haste would wreak damage," he
added.
Conte said a new decree to help businesses and the unemployed
would be worth no less than 50 billion euros, bringing the total
under two decrees to "no less than 75 billion euros".
The premier said "the IMF estimates negative growth of 9.1%
(this year) so we must boost our economic response".
He said "there is the risk of new poverty, so we must have
more incisive help" for those who have little or no income
because of the virus lockdown.
Conte said he was "fully aware" that parliament must be
involved in decision-making, after being criticized for
announcing policy on social media.
He said "a responsible opposition will find me open to their
proposals".
On the European Union, Conte said that "if it repeats the
mistakes of 2008, the EU project is at risk".
Conte has called for a unified European response to the
emergency by issuing euro bonds, or 'coronabonds'.
This has been rejected by northern European countries like
Germany and the Netherlands, who argue that the European
Stability Mechanism (ESM) bailout fund is enough.
The topic will top the agenda at an EU summit on Thursday.
Spain has proposed perpetual bonds but northern deficit hawks
says southern European countries must be content with drawing on
the ESM with fewer strings attached than in the 2011 sovereign
debt crisis.
Conte told the Senate: "on the now over-famous ESM a debate
has been fueled in the last few weeks that risks dividing Italy
into opposing fan bases," referring to divisions within
government and with the centre-right opposition.
He said the intention was to proceed "with the utmost
caution".
Parliament would have the last word on activating the ESM, he
said.
Conte has previously said he would not activate the bailout
fund.
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