Luigi Sbarra, the secretary general of
the CISL trade union confederation, on Tuesday welcomed the
government's new 14-billion-euro package of measures designed to
attenuate the knock-on effects of the war in Ukraine, especially
the soaring cost of living driven by energy-price hikes.
The package features a 200-euro one-off payment to around 28
million people in Italy with an annual income of up to 35,000
euros and it extends tax credits to energy-intensive firms and
windfall taxation on companies making extra profits thanks to
the high energy prices.
The government has also extended until July 8 a cut in fuel
duties to bring the price at the pump down by around 30 cents,.
Premier Mario Draghi said the new package was in top of the 15.5
billion euros the government has already allocated to
attenuating the impact of the war, for a total of around 30
billion euro.
Sbarra said he was satisfied as the government had doubled the
size of an initial seven-billion-euro package it presented to
trade unions early on Monday.
"It's a significant initial intervention that goes in the
direction we hoped for," Sbarra told Radio Anch'io.
"I appreciate the willingness of the government (to listen).
"It's an initial, strong intervention for the emergency.
"Now we must negotiate a new social pact for growth, development
and jobs".
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