The Budget begins the marathon at Ars. The Institutional Affairs commission chaired by Ignazio Abbate has already planned it roadmap starting from setting the date by which to submit the amendments: no later than Wednesday 20th and no later than 12pm.
Voting on the text and amendments will start from Thursday morning at 10am, and then pass everything through the scrutiny of Budget commission who will have 15 days to submit the text with the amendments presented by the parliamentary groups approved by the merit commissions.
The first commission hinged the draft of the Stability law for the articles of competence, after consulting the regional councilors and the general directors for the specific subjects. The members met for some in-depth analysis, in particular article 7 which concerns the interventions in favor of Sicilian local authorities. On this front, the Schifani government’s proposal provides for an allocation of 350 million euros of current money for transfers to municipalities, with reference to next year. For the Free Consortia, 108 million have been allocated for 2025 and for the municipalities 115 million for capital transfers. Money that will be used to build infrastructure or other structural interventions. Paragraph 5 of article 7 also establishes sums equal to 1.3 million to be allocated to municipalities in financial difficulty that need to stabilize temporary staff.
Another 550 thousand euros for the co-financing of the projects of the local authorities department which are supported with extra-regional funds. Then the issues concerning personnel were examined with attention paid to the Pension Fundputting the regional body in a position to be able to directly hire human resources.
And speaking of precarious workers, the stabilization of the ASU was discussed who currently carry out their work within the Cultural Heritage, but who could pass into the SAS with contractualisation. Taking this possibility into account, it was decided to give definitive stability to those dozens of workers who, despite returning to the ASU basin, could stipulate an indefinite contract in other regional bodies where they already perform services such as the Civil Engineering and Motorization.
To give new life to the regional administration, the Sicilian government is thinking of holding new competitions for Forestry Corps for the three-year period 2025-2027: recruit over 300 agents. There will also be news regarding the family and the social world, measures for Regional civil protection after the latest floods with the purchase of new equipment.
These are just some of the topics addressed during today’s hearing in the first commission where only the managers and heads of cabinet of the regional departments for the Family and Local Authorities participated, led respectively by Nuccia Albano and Andrea Messina. And here the controversy began.
The deputies complained quite a bit about the absence of the regional government during the works. At that point the members of Sala d’Ercole demanded with a formal request that the president of the Ars Gaetano Galvagno promote an appeal to the President of the Region Renato Schifaniso that the presence of the government can be guaranteed in every session of the individual commissions. A necessary act in the face of one of the most important documents for Sicily: the maneuver.
How has the lack of consultation with regional stakeholders impacted the reception of the draft Stability law among commission members and what steps could be taken to address these concerns?
1. Could you please tell us more about the upcoming budget process at the Sicilian regional administration and how it relates to the Institutional Affairs commission chaired by Ignazio Abbate?
Guest 1: The budget process at the Sicilian regional administration is an important part of the institutional affairs as it outlines the planned spending and revenue for the upcoming year. The Institutional Affairs commission chaired by Ignazio Abbate plays a crucial role in overseeing this process, ensuring that it is in line with regional laws and regulations. They have already planned a roadmap that includes setting deadlines for submitting amendments, voting on the text, and getting it approved by the Budget commission. This year’s budget process will be focused on allocating funds for various sectors such as local authorities, cultural heritage, and civil protection.
Guest 2: Absolutely! I think it’s important to note that the budget process is not only about numbers but also about allocating resources in a strategic manner to address specific needs of different sectors. It’s encouraging to see that the commission is considering innovative measures like competitions for new recruits in forestry and possibly purchasing new equipment for civil protection. However, there seems to be some tension between the commission and the regional government regarding their level of involvement in the process. How do you think this can be resolved?
2. What are some of the key points from the draft Stability law submitted by the Schifani government, and how have they been received by the commission members?
Guest 1: The draft Stability law outlines the government’s plans for financial stability and proposes allocating funds for various sectors, including transfers to municipalities, capital transfers, and infrastructure projects. The commission has examined these proposals in detail, particularly focusing on interventions favoring Sicilian local authorities. They have also discussed personnel issues, such as the stabilization of ASU workers and the possibility of direct recruitment for the Forestry Corps. While some measures like the direct recruitment of forestry agents have been well-received, there has been criticism about the lack of consultation with regional stakeholders.
Guest 2: That’s right. It’s interesting to see that the commission is aiming to allocate funds directly to municipalities
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