Italy's companies and its high-quality products can propel its economic recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, president Sergio Mattarella said on Tuesday.
"Re-starting industry is crucial for our country. Thanks to their quality, the 'Made in Italy' sectors of Italian excellence continue to drive the entire economy and to boost our prestige," Mattarella said.
Mattarella was speaking a conference organised by Il Sole 24 Ore financial daily and the Financial Times - 'Made in Italy: the relaunch of the Italian economy in the post-Covid world'.
Italy's head of state urged institutions, businesses and civil society to work hard together for sustainable development in the face of the "very high costs for our societies caused by the global pandemic."
"We can and must seize the opportunities arising from this crisis - which has had dramatic aspects - for a re-boot in terms of quality, well-being and growth ," Mattarella underlined
Businesses, especially, can contribute to this "re-start" by investing in innovation and quality, Mattarella said.
