I am still persuaded, as I was in 2019, that it would be a good idea to reduce gasoline excise taxes, but we must face the realities by which we judge ourselves: the world has changed since 2019 and we face an emergency scenario that requires us to make decisions. I did not guarantee that the government will reduce excise taxes, but I am optimistic that a structural reduction would be possible sooner or later." In a video posted on social media, here is how Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni explains why the government has opted not to ratify the interim reduction in excise duty on fuel established by the previous government. "The government has neither raised excise taxes, nor has it backed down," argues Meloni. "Rather, it has reaffirmed the temporary decision of the previous government, terminating this measure on December 31," as had been anticipated at the time. Meloni explains that "the cut in excise duties costs $10 billion annually: we could accomplish this by removing resources from cutting labor costs, the single allowance for families, the $2 billion health fund, the audience of families who can access support to control bills, tax deductions for hiring, and the fund for tax credit to small businesses...".
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