One year after the flood which swept over us in two phases Romagna and Emilia with beyond 4 billion cubic meters of water — causing 17 victims and damages for 8.5 billion euros — Emilia-Romagna has raised its head from the mud, but is still fighting battle of a reconstruction which will take years. The citizens, caught between the emergency of the first weeks and the bureaucracy of the last months afterwards 70.9 million of euros of immediate support contributions have seen the first relief payments arrive in recent weeks: 82 the requests reimbursed, for a total of 1.1 million of euros paid into the first current accounts. While many families are still waiting to return in their homes: in mid-February (latest updated data available) they were still there 1,868 the nuclei family members in receipt of an independent accommodation contribution (Cas).
The emergency and the first appropriations
The aid machine was broad and multi-layered, as was the emergency it involved 7 provinces covering the plain with water and mud and redesigning it with more 80,000 landslides the Apennines. After the first rains of 2 and 3 May they arrive and are spent just as quickly for the emergency (commissioner is Stefano Bonaccini) the first 30 million euros of Civil Protection. Three on May 16th and 17th the second devastating wave of rain multiplies victims and damage, leaving more 36,000 displaced and entire municipalities flooded for days (Conselice returns “dry” only at the end of May). The 200 million from the national emergency fund are spent on relief and reception of displaced people. The full-bodied one arrives on June 1st package Of help of Legislative Decree 61: 1.6 billion euros, but not all of them were actually spent (the 873.6 million tied to the redundancy fund are only partially used, given that many companies restart quickly despite the damage).
The start of reconstruction: between funds and promises
In July, in parallel with the state of emergency (extended to May 2025), with the appointment of General Francesco Figliuolo the complex journey of reconstruction begins. Legislative Decree 88 makes 2.5 billion euros available, almost all of it to fuel public reconstruction. The law that converts the two decrees related to floods (DL 61 and DL 88) allocates further 100 million for the recovery of production capacity in the affected areas, but reduces the allocation by 448 million total of the decrees. Between the end of summer and October the government makes more available 500 million euros to fuel the private reconstruction of families and businesses: resources which however remain “frozen” until the first payments last month. Instead they arrived from the EU 375 million from the European Solidarity Fundalong with 100 million that led to 325 million of euros the total of funds on which the agricultural sector can count (in the face of damages of one billion euros). Others 700 million of euros for Emilia-Romagna were included in the latest Budget through the tax credit mechanism (but the implementing decree is awaited), just as it remains to be clarified how the 1.2 billion euros for the reconstruction public related to Pnrr and promised during her visit to Forlì by Ursula von der Leyen.
A two-speed machine
One year after the flood, and ten months after Figliuolo’s appointment, it is now clear that the reconstruction is proceeding two speeds. And the critical issues, rather than the availability of the many funds allocated and then remodulated, are linked above all to procedures and timing. Public reconstruction – after the first critical issues – is progressing at a constant pace, as much as is allowed by a vast territory to be restored (if not in many cases to be “rethought”, including embankments to be restored and landslides). From the commissioner order which on 25 August gave the indications for proceeding with the financing of 2,525 interventions on the territory with 413 million eurostoday we reached a total of 1.6 billion available for longer 6,000 interventions expected. The Region took stock of what has actually been achieved a few weeks ago: 402 construction sites openof which 130 have already been completed, 158 are underway and 114 are being planned (all for a total investment of approximately 343 million of euros, including urgent sums, emergencies, advance regional planning and programming from other sources). Meanwhile, work continues on special plan against hydrogeological instability: the first draft will be updated by the end of June, when Figliuolo’s appointment will expire (the renewal of the commissioner should be a given).
Families and businesses waiting
It is private reconstruction that is moving at a decidedly slower pace. Also for the need to appraisals sworn statements which, as the flood victims’ committees have complained, make it difficult to request compensation for damages. Not to mention that he is still missing certainty on the reimbursement of movable property damaged by the flood (4.4 million euros for 1,649 damaged cars were paid in the meantime by a special tender from the Region). Almost all families, until now, have only been able to count on the first contributions emergency (up to a maximum of 5 thousand euros) made available by the Civil Protection: 70.9 million euros for 23,657 nuclei (24 million euros already missed). For those who have suffered greater damage, families or businesses, the Sphinx platform was activated at the end of last year: 1,911 the open questions so far, of which 1,136 in completion and 775 under evaluation. But in the long verification mechanism – which also involves Municipalities and Invitalia – to date 82 requests have been reimbursed (2.2 million euros in contributions granted, of which half have already been paid to the beneficiaries). Numbers which, in addition to the flooded citizens’ committees, worry the corporate world. «Insignificant sums paid to businesses and refreshments “from zero comma”in the face of an unacceptable narrative made up of announcements of 100% refunds, while the reality is made up of bureaucracy, slowness and funds never arriving”, he denounces Legacoop Romagnawho on May 3rd from Ravenna took stock of the situation with a public initiative with a very clear title: «Let’s hurry because it’s late».
