SAN MARINO – The Association Agreement with the European Union, signed on 19 October in Brussels, was at the center of the debate in the Great and General Council, between the recognition of the diplomatic achievement and concerns about costs, the organization of the Public Administration and the opportunity of a confirmatory referendum.
The proceedings opened with the greeting address of the Regency, composed of Gerardo Giovagnoli And William Casaliwhich recalled the responsibility of building a country capable of looking to the future and offering new opportunities to the young generations. The Secretary of State for Internal Affairs Andrea Belluzzi announced that the text of the Agreement will be submitted to the Council for ratification at the first available session.
The majority claims the European goal
The representatives of the majority underlined the historical value of the agreement and the path taken by San Marino towards greater European integration.
Matteo Rossi And Silvia Cecchetti (PSD) retraced the main stages of relations with Europe, from 1983 to the exit from the blacklists in 2014, highlighting the opportunities that the Agreement could open up for young people and businesses.
For Giuseppe Maria Morganti, Luca Della Balda And Dalibor Riccardi (Free), the agreement represents a decisive step towards the single European market, with access to a pool of approximately 450 million consumers. In their speech they recalled the principle of reciprocity and described the change as the transition from fishing in “Lake Faetano” to “deep sea fishing in the open sea”.
Even the exponents of the PDCS Giovanni Francesco Ugolini, Lorenzo Bugli, Oscar Mina, Gian Carlo Venturini And Massimo Maiani they claimed responsibility for the work done to strengthen the financial and reputational credibility of the Republic. Now, they highlighted, it will be necessary to reorganize the Public Administration and council work to address the transposition of the community acquis.
The opposition asks for clarity on costs and referendums
Opposition and independent forces have focused their criticism on the implementation methods of the Agreement, asking for more information on the necessary resources and the concrete return for citizens.
Carlotta Andruccioli And Mirko Dolcini (D-ML) have accused the Executive of a management characterized, in their opinion, by superficiality and improvisation. At the center of the criticism is the lack of transparent data on compliance costs and personnel needs of the Public Administration. The two councilors also reiterated the need for a confirmatory referendum to guarantee popular legitimation of the agreement.
Gaetano Troina (D-ML) recalled the unknown of the referendum in Andorra, observing that a possible negative outcome could transform the agreement into a bilateral agreement. He also asked for clarification on the expected expenses for the consultancy: 16,000 euros for communication and 155,000 euros for regulatory compliance.
RF asks for concrete benefits for citizens
Nicola Renzi and Enrico Carattoni (RF) invited us to overcome what they defined as the “rhetoric of triumphalism”, asking to clearly illustrate at least ten immediate material benefits for the population. Examples cited include access to e-commerce platforms, credit cards and fintech services such as Revolut. RF representatives also asked to evaluate the possibility of a provisional entry into force of the Agreement.
The recall of. is more linked to the economic and social consequences Giovanni Maria Zonzini (RETE), who warned that the agreement is not sufficient, on its own, to resolve the economic difficulties of families. In his speech he cited a 5% loss in the purchasing power of wages in the last ten years and an increase in rents of more than 35%, dynamics which, according to the councilor, contribute to the emigration of young San Marino people.
The discussion in the Chamber thus highlights the different positions on the European future of the Republic: on the one hand the recognition of the diplomatic result, on the other the request for guarantees on costs, implementation and actual benefits for citizens and businesses.
