Checks, bills and construction abuses: amnesty under Salvini's leadership

Vice Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has proposed the idea of "bailouts" of minor construction violations so that the state would make a profit and citizens would have access to real estate again. Salvini spoke at the Confedilizia conference in Piacenza and proposed a pragmatic initiative that is likely to spark debate. He proposed unblocking the technical departments of city administrations and conducting a "bailout" to help raise money for the public treasury and give citizens back full rights to their property.

Salvini stated, "I say this without hypocrisy, do we have a budget problem? There are several hundred thousand minor architectural, construction and urban planning irregularities that make it difficult for the technical departments of half of the Italian cities. So, wouldn't it be better to resolve all this through a bailout?" The minister also added: "The state gets the money and citizens can return to their property. "

This is not the first time the League leader has suggested such a pragmatic approach, always seeking to remove bureaucratic constraints and maximize benefits for the state, while showing more "benevolent" treatment to those in the wrong. He's already done this with the tax world's proposal for taxation. "It is better to have a friendly tax system than to hold Italians hostage. We ask them to pay what they owe, the state gets the money, and we free these millions of citizens," Salvini said. Of course, that didn't apply to major serial evaders, for whom the League leader says there's jail.

Now Salvini proposes to apply a similar approach to minor architectural violations.

In recent hours, Salvini's idea of bailouts has been extended to cashier's checks. The government intends to introduce a mini fine and a period of two and a half months for merchants and self-employed persons who have committed irregularities in checks and bills to rectify their mistakes. All taxpayers who committed a violation between January 1, 2022 and June 30 of this year can reinstate the legality. The new amnesty will be included in a decree with energy measures expected at Monday's Council of Ministers meeting. The aim is reportedly to "encourage voluntary compliance and disclosure of the tax base".

In Piacenza, the deputy prime minister also spoke out on the issue of short-term rentals. "Private property is sacred and everyone should be free to decide how to use their property to generate income. I don't think it's the state's job to decide how long term or short term you want to rent out your property. We live in a free country," Salvini said. He also said that on this issue "we are in agreement with the whole government".