Thirty or forty substantial bills in 2027, new authorities to be established and offices to be prepared. Implementing the association agreement with the European Union has brought a concrete question before the special committee on institutional reforms: how to organise the work, and with what resources. Secretary of State for Internal Affairs Andrea Belluzzi has proposed technical advisory support and training for councillors. Mirko Dolcini has asked the government for a breakdown of initial costs and how they will be covered.
According to Belluzzi, action is needed both on parliamentary procedures and on the tools available to lawmakers, so that transposing European rules does not overwhelm the Council (Consiglio). The goal is not to turn the role of councillor into a full-time job, but to put lawmakers in a position to handle complex legislative texts.
“The aim is not to professionalise the role of parliamentarian. But we also cannot allow a situation where parliamentarians lack the tools to fully carry out their role and function.”
The proposal is a technical advisory unit with legal and economic expertise, which councillors and political groups could call on for research and in-depth analysis. “Having a neutral adviser that parliamentarians and groups can rely on for deeper analysis, to raise questions and request research, could also speed up timelines and approval processes.” Such support, the secretary argued, would also help distinguish genuine political disagreements from doubts that could be resolved through technical clarification.
The other area of concern is the public administration. The heaviest workloads fall on the departments of Territory, Labour and Economy, Institutional Affairs, and Foreign Affairs. New authorities will need to be created for market surveillance, consumer protection and competition oversight, in addition to updating those already in place. Belluzzi reported that preparation of the main legislative projects for the first phase is nearly complete, and announced that talks with political forces on the statistics package will begin in the coming weeks. This will be one of the main legislative efforts of 2027, alongside procurement reform.
On the question of resources, Mirko Dolcini (D-ML) weighed in, distinguishing calls for better preparation from opposition to the agreement itself. “We have always supported integration with the European Union, but we simply want things done properly.”
He asked the government for an overall estimate: “What is the total cost in the first year of addressing the initial adjustments? Where will we find the necessary financial resources?” He pointed to the 800,000 euros set out in the multi-year budget and asked how this figure relates to spending on staff and on the planned structures.
Belluzzi clarified that the estimated increase across the entire expanded administration amounts to a maximum of 42 people, to be hired according to need. “That is the maximum increase we are forecasting — it doesn’t mean that the day after signing we’ll launch competitions for forty-two positions.” To contain costs, he also proposed simplifying internal staff mobility, moving personnel and expertise to the offices that need them most.
The secretary also defended the spending needed to strengthen support for political institutions: “Is it really taboo to talk about higher costs in order to do a better job and serve the country better, with greater competence and quality?” Dolcini, however, returned to his original point: he does not dispute the need to invest, but asks where the funding will come from, without relying on future GDP growth.
The councillor also reiterated his call for a popular consultation. “We are not asking for a referendum to block the agreement: we are asking for a referendum — whether initiated by the Council or, potentially, by the people — because we believe citizens’ input is necessary.”
On the preparation of lawmakers, Giuseppe Maria Morganti (Libera) struck a more open note, while maintaining his opposition to professionalising the role of councillor. “I do believe, however, that training is an absolutely central issue that needs to be addressed.” He proposed a permanent programme: “If there were willingness to set up a genuine, almost ongoing course through which to acquire all the information and preparation needed to tackle these issues, that would be a very positive idea.”
Belluzzi took up the suggestion and proposed considering mandatory training for councillors as well, supported by a legislative studies service dedicated to Parliament, separate from the one assisting the government and public offices. For civil servants, training activities are already planned and under way, with differentiated paths depending on each role. The secretary also proposed internships in Brussels for San Marino staff and opportunities for lawmakers to gain first-hand knowledge of European institutions.
Committee chairman Filippo Tamagnini proposed focusing the committee’s work on reforming parliamentary rules and the status of councillors, also considering the possibility of a single consolidated legislative text. To make the Council’s work more predictable, he suggested separating the discussion phase from the decision-making phase, with sessions dedicated to debate and others reserved for votes — a structure that would give the Council and its committees clearer timelines, while keeping legislative choices firmly within Parliament.
