GENOA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th March, 2020) the Italian government has adopted a decree "Heal Italy" to financially support families, businesses and workers amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has put the country on lockdown and brought about disastrous consequences for the economy, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced at a press conference on Monday.
"The government is standing together with businesses, vendors, freelancers, families, grandparents, mothers, fathers, youth, all those who are making great sacrifices for the common good, for the highest good, which is health: citizens' health, public health. Nobody should feel abandoned. This was our goal from the beginning and today the approval of this decree proves it," Conte said, announcing the decree "Cura Italia" or "Heal Italy."
The decree, the full text of which has not yet been published, foresees extra spending for the national health care system, postponing of all tax payments until the end of May, support for employees on the lay-off and for self-employed, freelancers and farmworkers � they are set to receive 500 Euros ($558) as a one-time subsidy in March. In addition, it introduces a moratorium on mortgage and loan payments and ensures a state guarantee of up to 33% on the loans for small and medium enterprises.
"With this decree, which is strong and firm in finances behind the measures, we have not yet accomplished our task of taking action to support the economy. We are aware that this decree will not be enough but I want to say to the workers, businesses and families that today the government replies that it is present and will do so also tomorrow," the Prime Minister added.
Italy is an epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Europe and it recently even surpassed China by the number of active COVID-19 cases. To this day, Italy has confirmed more than 27,000 coronavirus cases and more than 2,000 deaths from the virus-related complications. On March 9, the country introduced a total lockdown in order to stop the further spread of the disease, expanding the already-imposed lockdown in the northern regions to the whole country.
