Agonizing Civil Service

Only €113 million in funds will be available for the Italian National Civil Service Fund in 2011. Funding was outlined in the 2011 budget approved by the Council of the Ministers last October and currently being discussed by the fifth Commission “Budget and Treasury” in the Chamber of Deputies.

In the document the same figure, the lowest ever, is being proposed for 2012 and 2013.  This will mean fewer volunteers will be able to participate than in years past- the last group was made up of 18,459 volunteers, when support was €170 million.

In an official statement, “the National Representative of Volunteers and the National Civil Service, always open to dialogue with any actors involved in the definition of the National Civil Service, officially supports the petition organized by the CNESC and presented by the Forum of the Third Sector and announces its will to mobilize at the regional and national level.

Cristina Peppetti, Corrado Castobello, Fania Almanno and Manfredi Sanfilippo, representatives of the National Consulate of the Civil Service, said, “the National Civil Service is part of the cultural heritage for the youth; part of social services for the users; and a source of riches for the country. Therefore, the National Representative of Volunteers will continue to fight for the safeguarding of this important institution and of its founding characteristics.”