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‘Government must forge ahead’ – Berlusconi

Silvio Berlusconi sought to allay fears on Sunday over the future of Italy's uneasy coalition government after the former premier's tax fraud conviction sent shockwaves across the political scene.

Published: 5 August 2013 06:48 CEST
'Government must forge ahead' - Berlusconi
Silvio Berlusconi addressed supporters at his home in Rome on Sunday. Photo: Rosie Scammell/The Local

"We have said clearly and directly that the government must forge ahead," the right-wing leader told more than 1,000 sympathisers gathered in front of his Rome mansion.

"The government must continue to take economic measures and we have said clearly and directly that the parliament must forge ahead to vote for these economic measures," Berlusconi went on.

The demonstration of support was organised by the playboy tycoon's People of Freedom (PDL) party, with the slogan "Sunday in the street for democracy and freedom."

The PDL said on its website the gathering "will be the opportunity to huddle around our leader and confirm with him the great strength and the great
determination of a people who do not know hatred and who really believe in freedom and democracy."

A visibly moved Berlusconi told the supporters: "Your closeness and your warmth comfort me after all the pain and suffering of the past few days."

Italy's top court on Thursday handed Berlusconi his first definitive conviction in a 20-year political career dogged by legal woes and sex scandals.

The court ordered the three-time premier to do a year of community service or be placed under house arrest — a sentence due to be enacted in October.

He is also barred from running in elections for six years and the police on Friday withdrew his passport to prevent him from leaving the country.

Berlusconi lashed out at the judges who sentenced him for tax fraud.

"I'm here, I'll remain here and I'm not giving up and we will all continue together this battle for democracy and freedom so that citizens aren't afraid of finding themselves in prison without having done anything wrong," he declared.

Supporters of Berlusconi threatened to resign from the government on Friday after the verdict against the billionaire tycoon.

"We are ready to resign to defend our ideal," Interior Minister Angelino Alfano, Berlusconi's closest ally from the PDL, was quoted by Italian media as saying at a meeting with the mogul.

Berlusconi himself reportedly said: "We have to ask for new elections as quickly as possible and win them."

Prime Minister Enrico Letta, who presides over the uneasy alliance between his centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and Berlusconi's centre-right coalition, earlier pleaded for calm "for the good of Italy".

But he added: "I do not think a deterioration is advantageous and I do not believe that continuing at any cost is in the interests of the country."

Italy's current government was installed following a two-month deadlock between Berlusconi's group and their eternal rivals, the PD, after close-run February elections in which both won around a third of the vote.

"The government is a dead man walking," the Il Fatto Quotidiano daily said in an editorial.

Opinion polls based on surveys carried out in the run-up to Thursday's verdict indicated that Berlusconi's coalition would win new elections by a large margin.

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TAXES

How much should you pay your Italian accountant to do your taxes?

Italian taxes are notoriously difficult to navigate and even trickier to deal with yourself, meaning you may want to turn to a 'commercialista' for help. But how much should you pay for their services?

Published: 18 September 2024 12:42 CEST
How much should you pay your Italian accountant to do your taxes?

If you ask someone in Italy who a commercialista is, you may get several different answers: accountant, consultant, financial advisor or administrator.

In fact, they can be all of these at once as, along with the patronati, they’re residents’ first port of call when dealing with the complex bureaucratic processes surrounding almost anything official in the country.

Commercialisti are also the people who can file and submit your yearly tax returns for you. 

If you live in Italy or generate income in the country, you’ll likely need to file your taxes once a year during the so-called dichiarazione dei redditi (‘income declaration’). 

Unlike in other European countries, where it’s fairly easy for taxpayers to file tax returns independently, doing this can be very tricky in Italy, not least because of the complicated language being used. 

And mistakes can cost you dearly as the Italian taxman could charge you hundreds or even thousands of euros if you submit late, forget some details or enter the wrong information.

That’s why many around Italy choose to hire a commercialista. But how much should you pay for their services?

Overview

Commercialista fees can vary greatly depending on the type of services you need and the complexity of your financial situation.

If you’re an employee with a single source of income and are seeking help with filing taxes, or claiming tax deductions or incentives, fees will be on the low end of the spectrum. 

But if you have multiple sources of income, or have foreign income or assets and are subject to taxation in multiple countries, the commercialista will need expertise in international tax law, which may significantly raise costs.

READ ALSO: The Italian tax calendar for 2024: Which taxes are due when?

If you are a freelancer or the owner of a small business, you may need monthly consulting and regular services such as bookkeeping and VAT reporting. In this case, services may be bundled in an annual package. 

Finally, if you own a large business or corporation, you may need to hire more than one commercialista to deal with payroll management, VAT declarations, and corporate tax filings. 

Please note that the cost of a commercialista can also vary by region as prices tend to be higher in large metropolitan areas such as Milan or Rome, while you may find particularly advantageous rates in small towns and less populated areas around the country. 

Annual tax returns

According to financial advice platform Fiscozen, income tax filing services generally start at €120 but can rise to over €700 depending on your personal situation.

Generally speaking, tax filing fees are higher if you’re a VAT number holder (or partita Iva) as this entails more work on the part of the commercialista (think of all the invoices issued and claimable VAT detractions) compared to an employed individual or pensioner.

Paying taxes

Most types of taxes in Italy (from income to property taxes to waste collection charges) must be paid by completing and submitting form F24 (modello F24) with Italy’s tax office.  

A commercialista can do this for you, with services costing between €15 and €30 per form, according to online investment advisor Moneyfarm. 

Registering a new business

Freelancers and business owners in Italy are required to register with Italy’s tax office by getting a VAT number (known as partita Iva). 

If you’re starting out as a freelancer, hiring a commercialista to get your personal VAT number and set up an electronic invoicing system on your behalf will cost you €150 on average, according to Fiscozen.

Fees will be higher if you’re starting a new business as this generally involves more paperwork and compliance with a number of tax requirements. 

In this case, a commercialista’s services may cost anything between €300 and €500, though you’ll also have to factor in the payment of a number of taxes (including up to €200 for the Certified Start of Business Report, or SCIA). 

‘Year-long administration’

As mentioned earlier, if you are a freelancer or a business owner, you may need monthly consulting services, as well as regular bookkeeping, VAT reporting and – if you have employees – payroll management. 

In this case, commercialista services may be bundled in a gestione annuale (‘year-long administration’) package. 

According to Fiscozen, a 12-month package for freelancers operating under Italy’s flat tax scheme costs €60 a month on average (€720 a year). 

But costs can be much higher for freelancers working under the so-called regime ordinario (‘ordinary regime’) and business owners. 

In this case, you may pay anything from €2,000 to €4,000 a year depending on: number of clients, business size and number of employees (if applicable).

How can I find a commercialista?

All commercialisti in Italy must be registered with national association CNCDEC (Consiglio Nazionale dei Dottori Commercialisti e degli Esperti Contabili). 

The association’s website gives you the option to look for registered professionals in your area (see an example via the screen grab below).

A screen grab of the search tool on Italy's national 'commercialisti' association's website

A screen grab of the search tool on Italy’s national ‘commercialisti’ association’s website. Source: Consiglio Nazionale dei Commercialisti

As with most things in Italy however, word of mouth is key, so make sure to ask friends and family for recommendations if you can.

Alternatively, online forums and message boards for foreign nationals in Italy often share names of professionals that are particularly experienced in international tax law.

Finally, you can also find a list of commercialisti working in your area in Italy’s pagine gialle (Yellow Pages). 

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