Institutional portal - Municipality of Milan

Milan, October 26 2020
 
Dear Councilors and Advisors, good morning everyone.

Milan, Italy, Europe and the world are experiencing one of the most difficult moments in our recent history, undoubtedly the most complex since the end of the Second World War. What is striking is precisely the transversality of this crisis, the first truly global and contemporary. We are used to considering globalization above all in its economic and environmental effects. But no one, apart from a few sporadic voices, had ever considered globalization in light of a possible pandemic. Indeed, it seemed to all of us that systemic problems of this kind should only concern the poorest countries in the world.

Waking up from these illusions was very hard and found us decidedly unprepared. And this resurgence of the virus, although announced by many, has the strength to make us understand that it was not an isolated and easily forgettable episode. The journey will still be long and difficult, in many ways unprecedented, especially with regards to our lifestyles and the renunciations of our freedom, so much invoked and so fragilely defended.

The basic elements of the health situation are well known, especially in their summary data:

• In Milan, Covid has taken away more than 2.400 people so far.

• Currently the number of people hospitalized in intensive care is still much lower than the spring peaks, but the trend is worrying.

• Many hospital sectors are abandoning their typical mission to be transformed into Covid centers.

• Symptomatic patients are pressing into emergency rooms and non-serious Covid hospitalizations are increasing.

• The Covid pressure on doctors and health workers is increasing and with that a lesser possibility of treatment for other sick people.

There is great division on what health evolution to expect, especially among scientists and epidemiologists, which is true not only in Italy but throughout the world. I certainly won't be the one to take a position in favor of one scenario or the other. But it remains certain that, until a reliable and widely available vaccine arrives, we absolutely must live with this disease, more or less serious, more or less under control.

And living with the pandemic means first of all being able, rationally, to keep the reasons of health and those of the economy in balance.

And here too we need to be clear, as I have been trying to say since the beginning of this crisis. When we mention the economy we are not just talking about its great themes, the battles between systems, the reasons for the markets, the great transformations of multinationals and not even just the trend of the GDP or our debt.

We are talking, now and always, about the condition of millions of families and individuals who have been suffering for months, about the possibility of continuing to give a future to their children and, in the most serious cases, even of providing sustenance for themselves and their Dear.

The images of Naples impress us and, beyond any evaluation on the matter, we cannot ignore that conditions like the current ones generate anger and frustration in our city too.

And it is on this balance, always precarious, that the role of politics is played.

I do not believe that politics should replace either doctors or banks, but I am convinced that our role is the most difficult and complex as it must ensure, even in this climate of terrible and widespread uncertainty, a glimmer of a future for all citizens, sick or not, terrified or not, of the center and the suburbs.

This means, first of all, keeping priorities in sight: and the most important one concerns the reasons of the weakest, the oldest, the poorest.

Having balance means realizing that no one can expect to emerge victorious from this affair. Anyone who bases his decisions on electoral calculations or partisan interests does not deserve the political responsibility entrusted to him by the citizens' vote.

Everyone, me first, must not be influenced even for a moment by the calculation of interests or party consensus. Everyone, me first, must work on great collaboration between institutions so as not to waste even a moment, not even a euro, not even a cure to ensure that health and the economy are continually at the center of our thoughts.

Certainly, a crisis of this kind highlights how the institutional structure of our country is so complex that it is very difficult to react with unity and promptness. Government, Regions, metropolitan cities, municipalities, municipalities and related addendums mean that every decision must be continuously elaborated, broken down and recomposed, with the effects that can be seen not only in the decisions but also in their credibility.

The pandemic does not accept the logic of opposition at all costs, nor the "ante litteram" search for the guilty party. The Italians, and the Milanese first and foremost, neither understand nor appreciate this spectacle of continuous opposition: this is the moment for unity, for the search for useful and practicable solutions, for collaboration between institutions, including and above all of different political colours.

This does not mean canceling differences, pretending that everyone thinks the same way or giving up contrasts. On the contrary, this means working to the best of everyone's ability so that the health and social balance keeps us, at the end of this crisis, a healthy society capable of resuming the path of work and growth, equity and environment.

In this context, leave me a few notes on the Government's attitude in these latest curves.

I have never failed to criticize the executive. But, given that no one has the manual ready, it seems to me that the Government is trying to mediate the needs of the system and that of the territories.

Of course, it is very hard to feel that lockdown climate which will inevitably return to shut down the country, especially in its more service-oriented economic activities. It is necessary to quickly restore those categories who, in particular, will suffer from limitations on their working activity. On this point I appreciate President Conte's words and his proposals, which range from bank transfers to the current accounts of interested parties as early as November to a stop to IMU instalments. I offered the Government, and in particular to Minister Gualtieri, the experience of Milan, the data at our disposal, the knowledge of the territorial reality. We are already at work in the hope that the effectiveness of this collaboration will be reflected in the fact that the funds reach those interested as soon as possible. This affects many sectors. The burden that restaurants and bars will bear is clear. But sport? And the show? And so on.

This collaboration for the common good between health and economy must also be achieved in our territory.

There has been and will be no shortage of criticism and discussions between the Municipality and the Region, but in recent days we have opened up to an active collaboration with the ATS. The common objective is to work to increase the effectiveness of that local healthcare system which has shown its limits the most in this crisis. This morning we met again to offer our collaboration in distributing services to the citizens of Milan. In particular, spaces are being identified for quarantines and for non-serious positive cases, in order to lighten the load on hospitals as much as possible (following the positive experience of the Michelangelo hotel, the Air Force structure is already active at Linate and in the a new space will open in the Adriano neighborhood in the next few days; others may follow). In addition to this, we have made available the activation of one or more drive-ins specifically dedicated to schools (students and teaching and administrative staff); The Ministry of Defense may also enter into this collaboration.

And within this framework of collaboration, the Municipality will continue with renewed commitment to do its part. I would like to mention just three aspects:

1. The call for 5,5 million euros (coming from the Mutual Aid Fund) to support the work of the micro-enterprises most affected by this situation is being published, which is in addition to the deferral of rent payments for public housing and a series of interventions in favor of disadvantaged classes and new start-ups. 

2. As regards schools, the Municipality, thanks to the work and sacrifice of its teachers, will continue to resist to safely offer support to families regarding the lifespans of their children. And here too, a new tender will soon help all operators in difficulty providing services for children aged 0-6 years

3. The Municipality is quickly putting "Milan helps" back on track, the support system for families in difficulty and the entire organization of food collection and distribution for those living in situations of extreme poverty.

But, as this pandemic has now taught us, we will never stop and time after time, data after data, we will analyze the situation to decide how to continue to maintain the balance that will allow us to look to the future with confidence.

Yes, the future. It seems like a word deleted from our vocabulary.

Yet this is not the case. In fact, it doesn't have to be that way. Today, as we have said, is the time for common effort, for collaboration. But politics, the real one, must continue to plan the future of the city.

This is why we have started a serious reflection on what this pandemic has taught us and is teaching us. We spoke and discussed with the best experts in the city and with more than 700 illustrious exponents from the world of university, research, business, associative life and the social partners. And I believe that the participants in these works can testify to the usefulness of this comparison.

We will move forward, even with the new technological means that this crisis has refined, to put "hay on the farm" and be ready when all this is over. We intend to work for a healthier, fairer and more environmentally friendly Milan.

Today, however, we still have to conquer all this. And we will do it thanks to the awareness of our role, the desire to collaborate with other institutions and the constant attention to the reasons of those who find it most difficult to overcome this very difficult moment.

Thank you.
Giuseppe Sala - Mayor of Milan