There are also the municipalities of Marsala and Petrosino in the list published by the Sicilian Region regarding the data updated to 6 May, of the local authorities that have failed to comply with the approval of the 2024/2026 budget estimates. This is what we reported in yesterday’s edition.
The mayor of Petrosino intervened on the issue in a specific note “…that on the news based on the list issued by the Sicilian Region it seems necessary to point out that the indication of the municipality of Petrosino among the non-compliant bodies is probably due to a mere error on the part of the Sicilian Region and no commissioner can be appointed for the activity in question.
I understand that public finance issues are difficult and do not excite the majority of citizens, but I cannot help but point out the blunder by the Department of Local Autonomy – which among other things received the bankruptcy resolution in due time – and restore some element of objective truth on the issue.
The consequences of the declaration of bankruptcy are regulated by law and that following the declaration of bankruptcy, and until the issuing of the new decree, the deadlines for the resolution of the budget are suspended.
With the collapse, the municipality of Petrosino is required to decide on the hypothesis of a stably rebalanced budget forecast, hypothesis which was approved by the City Council on 21 February 2024. Once the budget hypothesis was approved, the document was sent to the competent authority and for its evaluation to the Ministry of the Interior.
Following ministerial approval of the budget hypothesis, the institution proceeds within 30 days to approve the budget for the financial year to which the hypothesis refers.
I remember that the municipality of Petrosino was declared in bankruptcy on 11 April 2023.
The last approved budget relates to the three-year period 2021/2023 and, therefore, the first year of the hypothesis of a stably rebalanced budget is that relating to the 2022 financial year.
It goes without saying that, pursuant to art. 248 of the law, the deadlines for the approval of the 2024/2026 budget are suspended.
For this reason the body cannot be included in the list of non-compliant bodies, given that it cannot decide on the budget in question, being able to proceed only in accordance with the provisions of the art. 264 of the law”.
Giacomo Anastasi
