“We do hope that the desire to achieve some goals in the Government’s programme will not negatively impact vulnerable groups of the population and strategic sectors that are closely linked to the very economic, cultural and scientific growth of the country”. Mgr. Stefano Russo, secretary general of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI), said this at the end of the Mass he celebrated for the press in the run-up to Christmas this morning. “We are following – like everyone else – the content of the Budget Law, which gives rise to concerns that we hope will be overcome”. “We are aware of the difficulties facing the country, and of the specific requests of the European Commission”. In particular, Mgr. Russo pointed out that “if Parliament were to eliminate tax incentives for non-profit bodies (by suppressing the reduced corporate tax rate “IRES”), all volunteering and social assistance activities would be heavily penalized together with voluntary activities in the areas of research and education, and in the socio-healthcare sector.
These bodies often fill in the gaps left by the State by providing services and assistance to the population.