The prices for electricity and gas are rising rapidly. Now the Italian government is helping consumers and is making billions for it.
In view of the sharp rise in electricity and gas prices, the Italian government has given consumers the prospect of cost reductions for the rest of the year.
Prime Minister Mario Draghi announced that part of the gas bill would not have to be paid in the last quarter of 2021. Families and small businesses would also have part of the electricity bill waived.
Low-wage earners also get a larger subsidy for energy costs than before, as the head of government said in a speech by the industrial association Confindustria.
According to Draghi, the aid cost the Italian state more than three billion euros. Without political intervention, gas prices would rise by another 30 percent by the end of the year, and electricity prices by as much as 40 percent, the politician calculated.
At the same time, he promised that there would be no tax increases – and received praise from all parties for this. “In this phase, the money is distributed and not collected,” he said.
Thanks to the billions in aid from the European Corona development fund, Italy is counting on the economy to continue to pick up. Rome expects its gross domestic product to rise by around 6 percent this year – 4.5 percent was forecast in the spring.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
