For Jubilee 2025, the Italian state has decided to draw on a public fund Which, by its nature and destination, had been reserved for compensation for citizens damaged by serious health errors.
The decision came with the promulgation of the law of 23 April 2025, n. 64, in the Official Gazette May 7thwhich has extraordinary measures for the strengthening of hygienic-sanitary controls in Italian ports and airports in view of the great influx of pilgrims during this Holy Year.
What the law on public funds intended for Jubilee 2025 says
According to the provisions of the law, the Ministry of Health for strengthen the health checks in entrance into the country It will be able to take on a fixed -term period 3 medical managers and 15 prevention technicians. To this end, resources of 934,517 euros have been provided, intended to finance this measure, certainly useful in terms of public health.
However, new ad hoc funds have been arranged for the loan, but it is provided that the state draws from another fundthat is, using the public resources foreseen for compensation to citizens damaged by infected transfusions, contaminated emoderivates and compulsory vaccinations.
How do you read in paragraph 2 of Law of 23 April 2025, n. 64: “The charges deriving from the implementation of paragraph 1, equal to a total of € 934,517 for the year 2025, is provided by the corresponding reduction in the authorization of expenditure referred to in article 2, paragraph 361, of the law of 24 December 2007, n. 244 “.
And the expenditure to which it is referred to, ordered by article 2, paragraph 361, of the 2008 financial law (law 244/2007) cited, is nothing more than the annual allocation of 180 million euros intended for transactions and compensation in favor of thalassemic, hemophilic, emotional subjects or damaged by compulsory vaccinations. It is precisely from this budget item, designed to compensate for citizens affected by serious health events, which the government has decided to withdraw almost one million euros to cover the costs of the new hires provided for in view of the Jubilee.
Legitimate choice but which opens the debate
That made by the government, it must be specified, is one perfectly legitimate choice from a regulatory point of view: The executive has in fact acted within the perimeter of its budget prerogatives, using a reduction in expenditure on a chapter already authorized by Parliament. However, this decision raises some important reflections.
In the first place, although the amount of 934,517 euros may appear relatively contained with respect to the entire annual allocation provided for compensation (equal to 180 million euros), the nature of the fund from which it draws requires a careful and prudent evaluation. Let’s talk about resources intended to compensate citizens who have undergone irreversible damage to health for liability attributable to the state, such as infected transfusions or mandatory vaccinations. In many cases, these people have been waiting for an economic refreshment for years, often following long legal and health battles.
Move even a small share from that fund to finance new temporary hires – even with the aim of protecting public health during a worldwide event – raises a matter of priority in the management of public resources. The Jubilee certainly represents an event of historical, religious relevance and also has economic implications for Italy, but above all it needs adequate health protection tools.
However, it would perhaps have been desirable to prepare a Autonomous or extraordinary loanwithout touching funds with such a sensitive destination.
Finally, the choice poses Questions on the future use Of similar allocations: if today the fund of health compensation can be reduced for a measure connected to the Jubilee, what will prevent it tomorrow from using it for other emergency purposes, even far from the original mission?
