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The Region approves an emergency measure to support the artistic glass manufacturing businesses of Murano, which are suffering from the drastic increase in the cost of natural gas. Councilor Marcato: “A rapid response to their request, for us it was an obligation”

19 November 2021

VENEZIA. “We have made an extraordinary effort at the end of the year, recovering 3 million Euro from the Regional budget to support the businesses in the glass district of Murano, the flagship of our artistic craftsmanship. These businesses are suffering today from the rise in the cost of gas. I was personally involved, visiting some of the workplaces, and doing everything possible to help them, and today the Region has made resources available which represent a great relief”.

Thus the Councilor for Economic Development and Energy Roberto Marcato announced the Regional administration’s approval of his proposal for an emergency intervention to support the businesses that manufacture artistic glass on Murano, who are in serious difficulty due to the skyrocketing costs of natural gas. Many have been forced to close and engage in costly shutdowns of their furnaces.

The combined annual consumption of natural gas by the furnaces of Murano is around 10 million cubic meters. Until September gas cost around 0.20 cents a cubic meter compared to 0.90 currently. As is well known, the system of production for Murano glass is unique in the world. Suffice it to recall that almost 80% of the production of artistic glass in Italy is located on Murano. Today this millennial culture of excellence is succumbing to the pressures of the pandemic and now the prices of gas. Already ten companies have shut down their furnaces and laid off their employees.

While awaiting a medium term solution from the Government aimed at preventing the closure of all the businesses that produce Murano art glass, which would result in the layoff of around 650 workers, the Region has activated an emergency intervention that provides a non-repayable contribution to the art glass manufacturers of Murano.

“At this moment – concludes Councilor Marcato – it is necessary to keep our guard up and for policy to find adequate responses, not only in the specific case of the Murano glassmakers, but in various sectors, because the increase in the costs and shortages of raw materials are also putting entire production chains in Veneto in great difficulty”.

-Source: La Nuova Venezia e Mestre