Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti
compared the Superbonus scheme for energy-efficiency building
renovations to the 1963 Vajont dam disaster on Wednesday and
stressed the current administration was not to blame for its
spiraling cost.
The Superbonus programme, introduced by a previous government
headed by M5S leader Giuseppe Conte in 2020, covered 110% of the
cost of certain renovations.
It has cost the State many times more than initially forecast.
As of 31 March, the total burden borne by the state for the
Superbonus exceeded 122 billion euro, according to official
data.
The scheme has been significantly curtailed by the current
government but the cost keeps growing.
Among other things, the government ended the so-called
'invoice-discount' ('sconto in fatture') system under which
people could use credits from the State to pay for the
renovations.
Instead, people can now be reimbursed via tax deductions spread
over several years.
"Thanks to the ancient Romans, who taught law to the world, we
have acquired rights, we have the Constitution, we have the
principle that if one started work in 2021, one has the right to
finish it in 2023 and submit the invoice in 2023," Giorgetti
said when asked him if he had any responsibility for the costs
of the Superbonus.
"It is clear that, when we fortunately intervened to put a dam
in place, the flood had already started,' he added, referring to
Vajont.
A landslide above the Vajont dam on October 9, 1963, sent a huge
wave of water over the crest, destroying the villages in the
valley below.
Officially 1,910 people died in the disaster, which had been
preceded by largely ignored warnings of impending danger,
although some estimates put the death as high as 2,500.
Giorgetti added that tax deductions related to Superbonus will
be spread over 10 years, rather than four at the moment.
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