Premier Giuseppe Conte told the
Senate on Tuesday that his government wants to extend Italy's
coronavirus state of emergency.
He said his cabinet, after consulting various bodies, was
inclined to extend the state of emergency until October while
stressing that the executive would take account of what
parliament says.
Sources said a resolution being drafted by parliamentary
majority sets the extension until October 15.
"An extension is inevitable," Conte said, adding that the
decision was made on the basis of purely technical evaluations.
"Although the contagion curve and the impact (of COVID-19) on
the national health service has come down in a significant way,
and this encourages us, the figures tell us that the virus
continues to circulate in our country," Conte said.
"The international situation remains worrying and what is
happening in the countries close to us obliges us to be
watchful"
The premier admitted that the public debate about the extension
of the state of emergency was "lively".
"There is no intention to dramatize the situation or feed
unjustified fears in the population or an unjustified state of
alarm," he said.
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