«Here we are, we will start issuing tenders in all the Municipalities and I am convinced that, by working together, as we have been doing for a long time now, we can achieve the goal. But they are jobs. And it’s not enough just what the mayor or commissioner does. There is a need, after the contract, for the companies to carry out the executive projects, for the works to begin and for everything to go well. We have planned plan B.”
Satisfaction yesterday on the part of the commissioner of the Mediterranean Games, Massimo Ferrarese, after the signing of the agreement with the mayor of Taranto Rinaldo Melucci which, following the interministerial decree which released the first 167 million out of 275, regulates everything connected to the execution of the works planned in Taranto. And similar agreements also exist with all the other mayors of the municipalities interested in the 2026 Games. But alongside his satisfaction, the commissioner also shows prudence. «I am convinced that we have achieved 90 percent of our objective – he states -. However, we have plan B on the largest and most important works: stadiums and Olympic swimming pools. In the event that the coverage could not be carried out in time for the Games, the competitions would still be held and the coverage would be made immediately afterwards.”
Mayor
«We must certainly say thanks to the commissioner, to the Government and to our offices who are doing a commendable job – says Mayor Melucci -. The signatures we have placed are among the most significant in the course of the Mediterranean Games. Not so much because they are linked to formal administrative procedures and the financial allocation that we commit, but because we come from a path that was a bit uphill. It certainly remains critical, as the commissioner illustrated, and we must all run and work in a climate of harmony because the timetable is very tight, but these signatures occur following intense work and intense institutional collaboration of which we cannot be how satisfied.”
The figures
Melucci recalls the figures, including those referring to the works of the second masterplan (Iacovone expansion, Magna Grecia, skating rink and skatepark) and says that «when we started the first masterplan, that of 2022, I believe it had an allocation for Taranto of around 90 million . With the work of Commissioner Ferrarese, we have now reached almost 161 million for Taranto. And we still have details such as contextual and ancillary works to discuss with the Government. We cannot, therefore, be convinced of the fact that with the commissioner there has been an acceleration and the improvement in the impact for Taranto has increased. And it happened in line with what we asked for, namely that the Games were a moment of overall redevelopment of the urban fabric and that they delivered a legacy capable of pushing the transition of our economic model. Now we can say – underlines Melucci – that we are closer to this objective. Furthermore, in the new masterplan we also think about interventions that did not exist in 2022, such as the skatepark, the skating rink and the recovery for the tennis of the Magna Grecia centre”.
The news
Then there is something new. With the context funds, the commissioner – announces Melucci – will be able to intervene for the part that is missing for the modernization of the swing bridge, the BRT link (fast electric lines) for the San Cataldo hospital and the railway bridge to enter in the city. «Crucial infrastructures that will remain with the city – highlights Melucci -. With the commissioner we have already taken on this responsibility and we believe we can complete the operation.” Melucci then thanks the technicians of the Municipality for the work carried out and attacks those who, «in search of protagonism, have no idea of what is being done, have no lever to operate and are probably those subjects who had not done so that Taranto could achieve certain objectives, which we are achieving today.”
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