Italy discovers itself divided at the start of the so-called “Phase Two” of its lockdown.

Some like the ‘brand-new regular’ based upon the steps revealed by prime minister’s Giuseppe Conte’s federal government, while others do not.

• Stakes are high, and as the prime minister stated, ‘if we wish to prevent uncomfortable backwards actions, we need partnership, a sense of obligation, and regard for the guidelines by all now more than ever’ (Image: Consilium).

Lobbies, people, and specialists think about a few of its elements both unreasonable and approximate.

From last Monday (4 May), for example, it is now enabled to check out family members – supplied they live in the exact same area.

“The law allows me to visit my second cousin, whom I only meet at Christmas, but not my dearest friend, whom I have known since I was nine-years old”, grumbles Francesca, a 27- years-old Sicilian store assistant, to EUobserver.

Stage 2 likewise makes making use of the mask compulsory in indoor locations available to the public and enables the reboot of lots of – however not all – business activities. Stores offering items other than food or need items stay closed, as well as tourist activities.

“We do not think Phase Two is enough,” states Marvj Rosselli, director of the Modena-based branch of Confesercenti, an association of commerce, tourist and services business. Modena is a rich commercial city in northern Italy, however the circumstance is severe.

“We are especially worried about micro-enterprises. If things continue like this, only in the province of Modena they will close by the hundreds. The retail trade, but also companies linked to the tourism sector, risk paying a very high price”

While acknowledging that governing Italy throughout such an extraordinary emergency situation is hard, Rosselli points out that lots of small companies are still waiting to get the help guaranteed by the federal government in March.

“Prime minister Conte apologised,” she states.”However, as some businessman told me, you don’t pay bills with an apology”

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According to Rosselli, business feel that the federal government’s choices are not based upon well-thought-out methods.

“Why let museums reopen but not small shops? Those that were allowed to keep open during the lockdown have shown they can work safely”

From Livorno, a seaside city in Tuscany, 50- years of age Federico Pieragnoli, director of the regional branch of Confcommercio (the main lobby of trade, tourist, and services business), states: “The measures adopted by the government to help businesses have proved ineffective. Taxes have been postponed now, but only to 30 June. How can entrepreneurs whose business has been shut for the last two months think about paying taxes on June 30? Where should they find the money?”

The federal government has actually assigned EUR400 bn however, Pieragnoli points out, it is”guarantees, not financing. It is not money going directly to the entrepreneurs, unfortunately. The banks examine the credit situation of each company. If they do not consider it appropriate to invest in a company, they do not lend it any money”

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To date, for example, just an extremely little minority of bars and dining establishments have actually had access to the EUR25,000 loans, according to Pieragnoli.

Hair stylists are prohibited to resume in the meantime too. Much of them have actually revealed their aggravation.

“We are aware of the importance of safety. I’ve already booked a full plastic face shield in addition to the mask. Plus the gloves, sanitizers and the rest,” states 47- years of age Melissa Buonviaggio, a hair stylist in main Italy’s Ancona.

Paying the lease

Despite The Fact That she is not working, Buonviaggio continues to have costs:”I asked the owner of the salon if we could halve or suspend the payment for when I was closed. She said no, even though I have been paying rent on time every month for 21 years”

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The circumstance is extremely hard likewise for 39- years of age Gregorio Carello, owner of a clothes store in Trieste, a stylish Adriatic city on the border with Slovenia.

“I opened the business last year, making a big investment. I invested in advertising and 2019 went well. I hoped this year would be good too, but now I have had no income for two months” Carello got a EUR600-worth help from the Italian federal government, however it is a drop in the ocean.

“We micro-enterprises are suffering more than anyone else.”

The tourist sector is likewise having a hard time greatly.

Venice, for instance, has actually been entirely empty for 2 months, apart from the homeowners. 57- year-old Simonetta Busulini is among them. She has a four-star hotel at the Lido, where the Venice Movie Celebration happens every year.

“We’ve been closed since 7 March, and since then the work has consisted in managing customer cancellations,” she states. “I don’t know when I’ll reopen. I have several fixed costs, employees on layoffs. I am an optimist, but sometimes I feel discouraged”.

Trade and tourist are in alarming straits.

And the production sector, generally a pillar of the Italian economy, is very little better off.

“The current situation is almost tragic. Two months of potential orders and turnover have been lost” states 74- years of age Alfredo Mariotti, handling director of Milan-based UCIMU (the lobby of robotics, machine tools, and automation systems makers).

Generally the silver lining for the Italian economy’s difficulties is export. Not this time. “This crisis affects the whole world, so we cannot hope to make up for the plunging domestic demand with orders from abroad”, Mariotti commented.

From northern Italy’s Padua, 67- years of age Carlo Valerio, business owner and president of the provincial area of Confapi (a lobby of medium and little business), states:”Italian manufacturers have restarted, and all companies have now equipped themselves with security tools for their employees”

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According to Valerio, throughout the lockdown the federal government made the error of closing down business in whole production sectors,”including those that could have worked safely and continued to export. It is not easy to see the logic of certain political decisions. The government is treating us as if we were kids”

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Confusion

Phase-2 Italy definitely appears puzzled.

Nevertheless, it is not the federal government’s fault, according to Giacomo, a 69- year-old pensioner. The EUobserver satisfies him queuing outside a butcher store in Vicenza.

” Conte is our best political leader given that [former Italian prime minister] Romano Prodi” he states. “What does the opposition led by Salvini do instead, apart from criticising? What do certain regional governors, like that of Lombardy do? What about Europe? Do the Germans know that if Italy collapses, nobody will buy their cars?”

Antonio Varrone is director of the branch of Confindustria (the association of production and service business) in Molise, a little area in southernItaly For him, the steps taken by the federal government to secure the public health are proper.

The problem, according to the 74- years of age manager, lies in “Italy’s institutional structure, which considerably impacts the nation’s capability to grow.

Regionalism is unchecked here: in addition to the national federal government there are 20 area guvs who feel they are the masters of their area and enact laws without a tactical vision of the entire nation”.

Recently, Conte stated the federal government is thinking about going up the opening dates for bars, hair stylists and dining establishments, which may reboot on May18

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Stakes are high, and as the prime minister advised, “if we want to avoid painful backward steps, we need collaboration, a sense of responsibility, and respect for the rules by all now more than ever”.

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