"We were struck by the fact that the South is even absent from the drafts of the manoeuvre circulated so far. Surely the South has long since stopped wearing its hat in its hand and, on the contrary, in order to grow it demands to be included in the framework of a clear and shared national development strategy, capable of contrasting and eliminating the current large territorial and social gaps with respect to the rest of the country". Thus Vito Grassi, President of the Council of Regional Representations and for Territorial Cohesion Policies, in an interview with Il Mattino. "The Mezzogiorno does not want bonuses or forms of welfarism, it demands investment, investment and more investment. The feeling, at least at the current stage, is that this road has not yet been taken," Grassi commented, referring to the uncertainties over the future of Decontribuzione Sud. "Although this measure has already been made residual in quantum by previous measures by other governments," the president explained, "it remains, albeit partially, a compensation for the great imbalances for those who produce and live in this area," hoping that it could be "confirmed or extended in the wake of the extension to 2023 of the temporary framework for State Aid.

On the Budget Law, President Grassi said: "A certain unease about the contents emerged from the Council of Confindustria regional representatives, at least in relation to the draft text that has been circulating in recent days. And I am talking about an overall unease, not limited to specific territorial areas. The Mezzogiorno,' the vice-president reiterated, 'is clamouring for all the support measures that are currently functional to reducing the gaps to be maintained. I am thinking of the tax credit for investments in the Mezzogiorno and the tax credit for ZES areas, the only integrated strategic industrial policy tool that exists at the moment. It is unthinkable that after having installed the government's extraordinary commissioners and launched the one-stop shop to simplify procedural authorisations, we now run the risk of seeing support for all ongoing investments discontinued. The government and parliament must prevent this with determination. It is in Italy's interest to see the Mezzogiorno move out of the role of those who ask for assistance to the bitter end and act as an implementer and guardian of legality for every form of investment that it succeeds in attracting,' Grassi said.

Lastly, on the NRP, the president highlighted the risk 'of drowning in the narrative that has always and deliberately penalised the southern territories and that mistaken logic and lack of vision would transform the NRP from a great opportunity into a compensatory element rather than an addition to national policies. Just as happened with the European structural funds in the past. It would be an unforgivable mistake'.