[ad_1]
L ‘The most frequent accusation against Domenico Arcuri is that he assumes too many functions at the same time: extraordinary commissioner for the Covid emergency, general director of Invitalia and now in this last capacity also leader of the relaunch of Ilva in Taranto.
Too much for a man?
“Ask my collaborators,” he says. If I am lacking, it is always to thank them very little, make them work hard and ask them to endure the exploitation. Lonely men in charge are no longer a part of our time. Of mine, it never has been. And anyway, limiting ourselves to Ilva, after all we signed an agreement together.
We got there. But first tell us when vaccines start in Italy.
«If the drug agencies in Italy (Aifa) and in Europe (Ema) will respect the calendar, symbolically at the end of December. And en masse in early January. Apart from a single man in charge: with the Minister of Health and his staff, with my collaborators, with thousands of doctors and nurses, the army, some large Italian public companies, the scientific community and with the daily support of the government. , we are ready. We will not waste a minute and we will not keep a single dose in our warehouses. It would be intolerable.
Do you agree with the distribution logistics?
“Yep. There are the hubs, the equipment for the cold rooms and the distribution system is ready to go.”
The first wave of vaccinations goes to hospitals for staff and nursing homes for everyone. But when does the second come out and to whom?
“We do not know exactly when, because it will depend on the authorizations and the production of vaccines. It could be in the first quarter of 2021. In terms of population priorities, it will start with the 11 million people who are over the age of 60, starting with the oldest and working down. In the second phase of vaccinations, workers who perform essential services that put them at risk will also have to return: police forces, schools, public transport and even prisons ”.
Meanwhile, it manages the return of the State to Ilva through Invitalia, together with ArcelorMittal. But the state doesn’t have a steel success story – why should it be any different this time?
«Italsider has written important pages of the Italian industry. It was a once in a lifetime phase, in which governments designed direct interventions in the economy taking care of development and employment. That season is over. But today is the time to accelerate again, we are emerging from the most serious post-war emergency. A country without industry or innovation has no future and that is why this time it will be different. The state will ensure a rapid transition of steel production towards levels of environmental and social sustainability: one third of production will be “green”, there will be an electric furnace and two plants for the pre-reduced. Starting from the South, green and eco-sustainable steel can be produced ».
Does the public presence in Ilva have a schedule for the premiere?
“Ideally, yes: there is the idea of going in, implementing a project, and then finding ways out. But it would be ungenerous to say now when. It is not predictable.
Are you sure that Brussels allows nationalization?
“We have already sent the authorization requests to Brussels. We are sure that there will be no problems.
The governor of Puglia and the mayor of Taranto ask to close the hot zone, which is the heart of steel production, while maintaining employment levels …
“We have found a reasonable balance between decarbonisation and job protection. It takes some time, but these variables can be reconciled. It is not true that the hot zone can only guarantee employment to the detriment of health. With the best technologies and the use of electric ovens, you can be competitive and take care of the health of the workplace. Otherwise, what would the state be for?
Its plan to increase production from 3.4 to 8 million tonnes represents a strong recovery. Do you have alternative scenarios?
There are already signs of recovery. Steel is used all over the world and is very much needed in Italy. The assumptions underlying the business plan are conservative. And the production targets we’ve set for ourselves are challenging but achievable. ”
Who will be the shareholders of DRI’s outside plants (pre-reduced) and when will they come online?
“No later than 2024 with an expected production of four million tons. It will serve ancient Ilva and beyond. The state will be a shareholder, not the only one. I am sure that many private entities will consider participating. And who knows, a national green steel plan may come to life from Taranto.
According to the old contract signed with the Paolo Gentiloni government, Mittal had to pay 1.8 billion to Ilva’s creditors (including the State) and invest 2.4 billion in plants and environmental interventions. And under the new contract?
“ArcelorMittal has already invested 1.8 billion and in recent months it has been a tough but serious partner. Strict but fair. We have made a plan that we both trust. The agreement does not modify the contract between ArcelorMittal and Ilva in extraordinary administration, nor the purchase price of the company’s branches. Forget about the detractors and their guilt ”.
Who do you have it with?
«With the protagonists of a season that no longer exists and that, of course, are lost. At the time we intervened, the previous agreement had not existed for some time. Mittal, in November 2019 initiated a dispute and announced the will to exercise the withdrawal.
December 17, 2020 (change December 17, 2020 | 09:31)
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED
[ad_2]
