Genoa – Canons reduced by 4.5% for the year that has just begun compared to 2023. The adjustment – while waiting to understand what will happen in the coming months with the assignment of the beaches – is the latest innovation concerning the beach concessions decided by the Ministry of Infrastructure with the decree of last 18 December and linked to the Istat inflation indices.
«The adjustment of the unit measures of the fees for state-owned maritime concessions or the updating of the same for the year 2024 has been set at -4.5%. The minimum amount of the fee – states the decree – has been adjusted to the extent of 3,225.50 euros starting from 1 January 2024». Last year the fees for 2023 had undergone a maxi increase of 25%, the highest increase in history, calculated by averaging wholesale and retail prices on the ISTAT basket. The update, however, had been suspended by the Council of State which had accepted the appeal of a concessionaire, awaiting the ruling of the Lazio Regional Administrative Court.
The decision taken by the ministry led by the minister and vice-president of the Council Matteo Salvini it aroused opposing reactions in the political landscape and different reactions among consumer associations and owners of beach concessions.
Marco Scajola, in Liguria, is the regional councilor with responsibility for maritime state property. «From what I understand – he says – it is a provision that has a technical and not political nature and the government must provide explanations and reasons. However, it is always good news when some company pays less. I hope – he adds – that this calculation also involves the minimum state fees paid by non-profit associations which have undergone increases in recent years. This news – he concludes – does not change the most important issue which is that of the future management of the coasts: I hope that the government, and specifically Minister Fitto, will open a discussion with the regions in the next few days which at the moment does not yet exist state”.
The measure announced by Rome sent the authorities into a rage consumer associations. «A reduction would have made sense if it had only concerned the non-profit associations that operate on our coasts. This crazy choice is yet another decision taken by a cross-eyed political class just to gather a few votes among the factory owners. We must never forget that state property fees in Italy are very low and the beaches are everyone's heritage which should be free to access without the obligation to pay”, declares Stefano Salvetti, Ligurian president of Adiconsum and regional contact for the Free Sea Coordination.
For beach resorts, the priority remains the future of concessions seaside. «We did not expect this reduction which in any case is of little importance considering that last year there was a significant increase. It's easy to talk about it but very often people forget about the enormous costs that we as entrepreneurs have to bear, starting with that of the staff to control the beaches which is totally at our expense. In any case, this reduction does not change things. We are waiting to understand what will happen with the beach concessions which is the most important thing”, says Massimo Stasio, Genoese president of the Sib (Italian Seaside Union).
The measure taken by the Ministry of Transport has raised the irony (Salvini starts the sales, says the parliamentarian Angelo Bonelli), but also the protests from the opposition to the government with Riccardo Magi of +Europa announcing a complaint to the Court of Auditors against this «yet another gift to a small lobby» and for «the failure to apply the Bolkestein directive». Furthermore, the Five Star Movement recalls, a “suitable and balanced” solution had already been found with the competition bill of the government led by Mario Draghi. A solution, the grillini insist, «voted by Lega and Forza Italia».
«The State collects 110 million euros from state concessions, with a confirmed evasion of around 45%, despite the fees being negligible. It is not superfluous to remember that Briatore and Santanchè's Twiga pays the State a ridiculous amount of 20 thousand euros in rent every year, compared to a turnover of almost 10 million euros. Minister Salvini's circular is a disgrace, and he will have to give explanations on this in Parliament. It is unacceptable that the right in government wants to sell off the last free beaches to give them away and privatize them”, declares Bonelli who is a member of parliament for Avs and co-spokesperson for Green Europe.
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