Virus and political war in Italy: clashes over the reopening and fear of a new wave of Covid

Julio Algañaraz

04/22/2021 11:15

• Clarín.com

• World

Updated 04/22/2021 11:15 AM

The far-right leader Matteo Salvini, who had been pressing for a loosening of restrictive measures to combat the increase in infections and deaths from coronavirus, caused the first crisis of the unity government that brings together almost all the parties in

Italy

.

Salvini, who takes credit for the reopening "with caution" scheduled for next Monday,

demanded that the curfew

that has been in force for months from 10

p.m. or 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. be shortened

to facilitate the dinners that may be offered. the restaurants.

And he also demanded that they be able to do it not only on the open terraces but also in the closed rooms.

Salvini and Prime Minister Mario Draghi exchanged

four increasingly tense phone calls

.

Salvini again demanded that "Italians be allowed to live again."

The head of government replied that the Northern League, Salvini's party, which has three ministers, had voted five days ago to maintain the curfew as it is to "be prudent in opening measures and prevent it from circulating again. more dangerously the virus ”.

They disagreed, and Draghi told him that his position set "a grave precedent."

In the subsequent cabinet meeting the measures were voted and the three League ministers, who did not open their mouths, did not participate.

The leader of the Italian extreme right, Matteo Salvini, calls for an early reopening.

Photo: EFE

Protests grow

The episode represents a wound that is difficult to close, because for Prime Minister Draghi it represents the threat of new pressure in the coming weeks from Salvini, while

noisy street protests

of those harmed by the prohibitions with infiltration of extreme right-wing groups

grow

.

The disastrous effects of the pandemic have put hundreds of thousands of employees and merchants out of work or lost their revenues, which for Salvini represent a fundamental source of consensus.

The far-right leader, who decided to enter the government of national salvation that was formed by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella and was approved by Parliament, does not hold any position but is

increasingly active in calling for the loosening of restrictive measures

and bars, restaurants and businesses are allowed to open, along with greater freedom of movement.

The action of the pandemic, which probably next week will have caused 20 thousand deaths from Covid-19 in 14 months, shows signs of having left a new acute phase behind and it is expected that the summer heats will help reduce its lethal effects.

Italian police clashed with protesters protesting coronavirus restrictions in Rome.

Photo: DPA

But most scientists believe that the reopening announced by the government under the pressure of those affected economically and the exhaustion of the population, could put

a new

deadly

wave at risk

.

Salvini, for his part, blames the restrictions on a leftist “ideological action” by Health Minister Roberto Speranza and a part of the leaders of the 5-Star Movement, the party with the largest parliamentary representation.

Cautious reopening and vaccination

The government has decided to rush reopening measures but with the handbrake, while trying to

focus on the mass vaccination campaign

as the true weapon capable of taming the circulation of the coronavirus.

"If we change the measures every week we can say goodbye to our credibility," said Prime Minister Draghi at the Chigi Palace, seat of government in Rome, very annoyed with Salvini.

Pupils in a secondary school in Milan: with masks and distance, classes were resumed.

Photo: EFE

The new reopening decree will take effect between Monday, April 26 and July 31.

The

state of

national

emergency

has also been extended until July

.

The government approved the re-implementation of the low-risk yellow zones.

The color system (which also includes the red, orange and white areas) is based on the indicators of contagions and incidents and on the evolution of the epidemic curves used by scientific institutions.

On Friday it will be known how many of the twenty regions are considered yellow and will enjoy broader standards.

Lombardy, Veneto, Lazio, Emilia Romagna, Abruzzo, Friuli-Venice-Gulia, Piedmont, Tuscany, Liguria, Marche, Trentino Alto Adige, would rise to the color yellow, while Molise, Calabria and Sicily would not be able to leave the condition of orange regions , with more restrictions.

In the background would be Sardinia, Puglia and the Aosta Valley, which register the worst rates of infections, deaths and saturation of their hospitals due to the action of the virus.

The government promised that some restrictions will be reviewed at the end of May

and that the curfew that has given rise to the crisis raised by Salvini could be lifted or lifted.

The government of Mario Draghi is betting on a massive vaccination to stop the advance of the coronavirus.

Photo: EFE

What can be done

From Monday the 26th, free movements will be allowed between the regions of the yellow band, while to move from the orange and red regions, self-certifications will be needed for work, health and emergency reasons, the only ones admitted.

Bars and restaurants will be able to feed for lunch and dinner at their tables, but

outdoors

.

Only from June 1 it will be possible to have lunch or dinner in closed places, strictly maintaining the distances of one or two meters between the tables, depending on the case.

In the yellow regions, from this Friday

the freedom to practice sports

, individual and team

activities will resume

.

From June 1, the stadiums will open, with a maximum of 500 spectators indoors and a thousand in open spaces.

From May 15, the swimming pools will reopen in the spa establishments and fifteen days later the gyms will return to work.

All permits will be conditional on security measures.

For example, each swimmer in the pools must move with a

distance

of around seven square meters.

It will be allowed to practice sports outdoors in the municipality itself.

Cinemas and theaters reopen

Also from this Friday

cinemas, theaters and concert halls and other entertainment venues will reopen

, which have been closed for many months.

Spectators must be seated and their places reserved, maintaining safety distances and using the mask.

The capacity will be half of that established

in each place.

In the yellow and orange regions all businesses will be open, while in the red regions only food, pharmacies, tobacco shops and newspaper kiosks will be open.

Hairdressers and beauty centers will be closed in the red areas.

An important novelty is that from May 15 in the yellow regions, businesses will reopen freely within markets and shopping centers.

Throughout the country, the

obligation to put the mask in the mouth

and maintain safety distances on public roads is maintained.

Finally, from June 15 in the yellow regions, fairs of all kinds, very popular in Italy, will reopen.

In July congresses and seminars can be organized, it is possible to go freely to the hot springs and the amusement parks will be opened.

Rome, correspondent

CB