The government spits in the face of the non profit sector

The following is from Riccardo Bonacina’s, Director of Societa Vita Editoriale Spa, blog. The original Italian language version can be found at Vita.it and dates from April 19. The Italian non profit sector has been in uproar over the past few weeks because of a suppression of a law subsidising non profit postage – multiplying the cost of sending a letter by six. The consequences could be dramatic for an already financially fragile sector.

A silence – already 15 long days have passed – from those responsible, in the government, for the abolishment of the postal service subsidy. This subsidy was open to socially oriented non profit organizations; to civil associations; and to missionary and cooperative magazines. Its cancellation is intolerable.  The action of those responsible and the event it and of itself are scandalous and shameful. Those following the events know the Vita magazine and web site have mobilized. The government offered little comfort after it gave the liberal press and civil society publications a walloping blow to the gut. The former are civil and liberal society’s only opportunities to discuss issues with Italians, given the self absorbed nature of the elite, who control Italy’s TV programming, and thus the self absorbed nature of its content. The petition we launched has quickly surpassed the barrier constructed by the government, 10,000 signatures. The magazine’s special edition covering the event demonstrated, organization by organization, project by project, the vast and perverse harm provoked by this defamation enacted into law March 30. On the Vita site organizations have explained their story. Emblematic of the situation is the story of AGESCI (a Catholic Scouts association), who was forced to suspend mailing its 2 million copies of its magazine for 2010. And next thing you know, will have politicians getting all riled up over low literacy rates amongst Italian youth!  And yet, despite it all, despite the reasons expressed, the evidence presented and the force of the mobilization, April 15, the government responded with a note. In an offensively concise text, the government responded to an urgent parliamentary question, presented by Luigi Bobba (Pd) and by Maurizio Lupi (Pdl) and signed by 80 deputies, who came together to unite their cries. The government didn’t even have the curtsey to involve the undersecretary responsible for this sort of thing, Paolo Bonaiuti (shame). The undersecretary in question chose instead to do battle with a note. A note he entrusted to another undersecretary, Guido Bertolaso, who made himself available to answer and respond to any other questions their might have been concerning the protection of civil rights – or, anything not covered in the note! (Shame, Shame)

What was said in this written response? It said the cost to the state to support non profit publications was 273.84 million Euros in 2008. It highlighted that the “fragmentation and the range of groups who benefit was a real problem” and that according to the last audit, effectuated by the presidential cabinet, (an audit done every six months) “the available funds weren’t enough.” It went on to say that, in 2009, the government reimbursed the Italian Post 241 million Euros, and that for 2010 the reserves available for the Post were only 50 million Euros. The moral, the government “was forced to issue this decree,” the note also specifies that, eventually, with what could be saved the Government will make supplementary allocations to the sector. Adding further insult, it was said that “the minister of economic development had communicated his availability to identifying a solution to the problem of the subsidization of postal tariffs during a meeting, held April 8, between the government, all of the news, periodical and book publishing associations, the universal postal service agent; as well as the National Federation of the Italian press. Signaled at this encounter was the urgent need to promote an accord, between editors and the Italian Post corporation, with the end goal of finding a tariff in line with European norms and compatible with an economic and financial equilibrium, and to provide for the enactment of committees of experts comprised of the different stakeholders.” A further mockery since non profit publications are not once cited and since it was omitted that the Italian Post is a 65 percent state owned company, controlled by the ministry of economics and finance, otherwise known as the government. The government can’t pretend that it is unable to communicate with itself!     

I believe that the anger of small publications, associations, cooperatives and religious organizations will have to find new ways to manifest and rouse, as far as it’s humanly and anthropologically possible, those who govern. This stab in the back of freedom of information and dialogue between civil society and citizens cannot go un-judged. Little over 200 million Euros in fund from the presidential cabinet (as demonstrated by the events surrounding civil protection and big contracts) is little more than a tip. Silvio Berlusconi and Gianni Letta, take the necessary action now. Ministers and parliamentarians, show that you have character and heart, a fundamental resource for the country, and for once let’s do more than chit-chat.

Anything to give hope to non profits, taking stalk of the past two years, since the latest parliament opened, actors in this sector are left feeling disheartened and discouraged. There was the dip in civil service; the proposed “five for a thousand” bill remains an idea and not a certitude, backed by a legal norm; and now the mugging of 65 million Euros from non profit organizations, a decree that has effectively shut this country up.     

Sign the Vita Italia petition.