The anti-scientific theories of a few cannot prevail, President Sergio Mattarella told Italy's new Knights of Labour Tuesday, referring to the anti-vax movement.
"The recovery is a new road and we must travel it with determination and hope like after WWII, with the cooperation of forces and persons," he told the business people who have been knighted for their contribution to Italian industry.
"We can trust in ourselves because we have faced a very tough trial.
"The few who want to make their antiscientific theories prevail cannot prevail, with their sometimes senseless violence," Mattarella said referring to anti-Green Pass protests that have sometimes turned violent as in an October 9 assault on the headquarters of the CGIL trade union.
"The Italians have shown responsibility.
"Research and vaccines have given us back spaces of liberty and the possibility to take our lives back into our hands".
The head of State also said that the EU-funded post-COVID National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) offered "an opportunity we cannot miss".
Mattarella added that the proof of a mature country was to put jobs at the centre of its actions.
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