«Tax breaks and incentives to restructure to restart the area» – Interview with Alessandro Di Venanzio

“We need to simplify, accelerate, rebuild, continue to facilitate”
After three years of earthquakes, Alessandro Di Venanzio, president of Unindustria Rieti, summarizes with a list of verbs the needs of a territory that after mourning, rubble and emergencies now “would like to turn the earthquake into a revival. But in these years, the master has changed, the music has remained the same. Need an extra gear».

What is needed?

To restart the flow of people, who went to Amatrice, Accumoli, Cittareale and is now no longer there, pervade the reconstruction at the stake, as denounced by the President of the Republic and the Pope. A control room is missing.

However, the urban free zone has been extended and extended to help businesses …

The earthquake here was added to the crisis and depopulation. Save these tax breaks until there is a recovery. And then, tax credit, for the purchase of machinery and a simplification, so that the yards can be started even for private construction, without even 2% for heavy damage. Why? Perhaps the owners do not present the questions, because can it be more advantageous to continue receiving the contribution for self-accommodation? Are donations monitored? No. We ensure that after a certain period it is mandatory to rebuild.

The lack of reconstruction affects the economy of the area, which lives on tourism and agriculture. What are the priorities?

We need an overall vision, with more powers for local administrators. An acceleration, to bring back at least the usual tourists. There is no urban plan and after three years we have to stop arguing about where to rebuild, while still dealing with a percentage of rubble. If people are not tempted to renovate, construction does not even start again. We strive to create consortia, in which our entrepreneurs can also participate by direct call to large jobs, not just small ones.

One of the critical points of many areas has been connections and infrastructures.

We have a promise of hybrid trains, between Rieti – Terni – Orte – Rome. A journey, like the francigeno. Welcome. But the opportunity to re-launch the territory – where courageously several hotels and restaurants have reopened – would be the expansion of the Via Salaria, in addition to the full restoration of the road network: an appeal that no one feels anymore.

Twenty-nine companies in the area have been awarded almost 5 million made available by the 2018 earthquake ban. What is the state of health of businesses?

The national solidarity, the determination of the entrepreneurs and the goodness of the products have meant that the companies have held up. Some have even registered revenue increases, with more online sales. And this is the only satisfaction, in the face of so many difficulties.

“The earthquake in the province of Rieti was added to the crisis and depopulation”
“In Umbria we made an effort not to lay off and not to weaken the community”

Interview with Alessandro Di Venanzio – President of Unindustria of Rieti
Source: Il Sole 24 Ore