There are 17 signatories of a motion which, if approved, would commit the mayor of Foggia Maria Aida Episcopo to take action to achieve a series of objectives for the Gino Lisa airport, first and foremost, to do everything in her power for flights in a regime of territorial continuity.
Promoting it is the majority municipal councilor Pasquale Cataneo, who in his presentation deliberately omits the movement he belongs to, Southern Italy, because he considers it a battle without political colours, but the vote could have consequences on a political level.
In the majority, the Democratic Party does not sign, with the exception of Francesco Mancini, member of the Environment and Territory Commission, Psi, Tempi Nuovi-Azione and the independent Benedetto Buenza.
In the opposition, former mayoral candidate Nunzio Angiola, who prefers to carry forward his motion, and Stefania Rignanese, from his own group, are missing.
The first signatory expects the political forces that have not signed the motion to vote on it in the chamber, also presenting any amendments, because the coalition of which he is part, the broad progressive camp, at his impetus, has inserted the points relating to the policies of development of the Gino Lisa in the programmatic lines.
The draft of the motion was drawn up in the Environment and Territory commission, after several hearings, even before the meeting at Palazzo di Città between the management of Aeroporti di Puglia with the municipal administration and the stakeholders in which the vice president Raffaele Piemontese made public the letter sent by the Puglia Region to the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini to officially request the imposition of public service obligations on Foggia airport by decree.
There are 11 points of the motion ‘Policies for the development of infrastructure and air transport services for passengers, goods and civil protection at the Gino Lisa airport in Foggia’. The first calls for an incisive position from the Municipality of Foggia in the Services Conference aimed at identifying the content of the public service obligations to be imposed on air connections to and from Foggia airport.
This is followed by the elimination of obstacles to allow full use of the 2,000 meter runway. The next point, essentially, invites the mayor to exert pressure to increase the fire prevention class and for the recognition of an airport of national interest in the National Airport Plan.
Pasquale Cataneo does not change his mind on the hypothesis of extending the runway and the underpass to increase air and road safety. “We hope that what was done in Forlì will be achieved”he said when presenting the motion.
To date, the characteristics of the infrastructure network adjacent to the airport, according to the expert advisor on infrastructure and transport, would be more similar to the Turin-Caselle airport, recently the scene of a terrible crash of an Freccia Tricolore, which cost the life of a little girl in the car with the family.
Furthermore, State Road 693 which runs alongside the Gino Lisa is a road with higher traffic, he recalls.
The motion pushes for cargo, starting from “preparation of a technical-economic feasibility project regarding the adaptation of the airport, including the lengthening of the runway”.
“We have not seen the Civil Protection forecast translated into works and construction sites”, highlights Cataneo. Hence, the request to urge the start of work for the construction of the strategic center and logistics hub of the regional civil protection.
This is followed by the planning of integrated connections, the relocation of the ‘Il Volo-Ali Sospese’ sculpture and the implementation of a marketing plan also through the use of funds deriving from the municipal boarding tax.
The signatories ask to send the motion and resolution to the ministry, Enac, the Puglia Region, the Province of Foggia, Puglia Airports, parliamentarians and regional councilors elected in Capitanata, periodically informing the municipal council on any developments.
Speaking of connections, considering the search trends from around the world for trips to Italy, data in hand, Pasquale Cataneo believes that “one of the most attractive and functional destinations must be in Germany”.
The motion “it appears to be one of the concrete directions that can truly allow us to create, concretely and together, a whole different story for our people and for our land, with equal dignity and opportunities”says Cataneo.
And if political dynamics were to “override the interests of the community”the motion could represent a watershed for the councilor of Southern Italy.
