(ANSA) - ROME, OCTOBER 20 - L'Ance expects a 13% decline in construction production this year "which adds up to the 33% less recorded in the last 12 years", according to data presented by the president, Gabrile Buia, at the public assembly of the association.
"Those who have managed to withstand this shock wave certainly need support and not more blows," says Buia.
Also in light of these data, the first appeal of the builders is for Italy not to stop.
"Italy cannot and must not stop any longer. We have the tools to continue working safely, we keep our nerve", says Buia.
Buia speaks of a "decisive" moment in which "it is necessary to make courageous choices and listen to the voice of those who experience the effects of those decisions on their own skin. We cannot continue to make the usual mistakes".
"We need to start doing the things we need - he says - really. We don't want to hear 'you were right'. We want to see the results now".
The problems are many, starting with the delays in state investments.
"For years the resources earmarked for the prevention of hydrogeological risk have not been spent.
After 10 years, only 1.5 of the approximately 6 billion euro allocated have been spent", he says.
The Ance specifies that of the 5,890 million euros planned starting from 2010, the regions have spent only 26.3% (1,531 million).
"Cumbersome approval procedures persist, design deficiencies and slowness in the execution of interventions. A situation - he explains - aggravated by the suppression in July 2018 of Italia Sicura, the Mission Structure at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers with coordination and planning tasks".
In this context, the opportunity comes from European funds.
"The resources of the Recovery Fund must go to finance the birth of infrastructures, cities and territories in a key of sustainable development. Or we will have only extended the life of a dying person by a few months, without being able in any way to guarantee him a future perspective", is the message of Buia.
"Either these resources are destined for a broad re-generation program in the country - he says - or we are definitely out of the game".
(HANDLE).