Votopoli, Fabrizio Tatarella’s challenge: “Let’s take back Bari for my uncle Pinuccio”

«Without prejudice to the presumption of innocence, it is clear that the center-left of Bari and Puglia has already lost its game from an ethical point of view. From a political point of view, Pandora’s box has been opened: a system that of Michele Emiliano and Antonio Decaro – states in an interview with Tempo Fabrizio Tatarella, a native of Bari and vice-president of the foundation that bears his surname – which was under the eyes of everyone. A twenty-year scheme that confined political parties and certified that the administration of public affairs was aimed at increasing one’s personal consensus.” The two-way race in the center-left had been in the air for some time, 48 hours ago the official announcement arrived: on one side Vito Leccese and on the other Michele Laforgia. Yet in the joint statement they found unity, defining the right as “arrogant and retrograde”. «I answer you with a joke: if Christ stopped at Eboli, the broad camp stopped – or rather shipwrecked – in Bari. Their problem is that the right does nothing but denounce what happened. Too bad they should be the first to do it. But not only because instead of thinking about washing the family’s dirty laundry they even allow themselves to talk about “arrogance”. Such behavior is unacceptable. Put another way, it’s too easy.” What would his uncle Pinuccio Tatarella have thought of all this? «I believe that for reasons of expediency, given the current political climate, he would have avoided the vote scheduled for 8 and 9 June. Without a doubt he would have put the city of Bari and its future at the center of the debate. We, on the other hand, run the real risk that during the election campaign we only talk about judicial investigations and this contributes to poisoning the situation even more. Circumstances that risk leaving an indelible mark, should the dissolution due to the mafia occur, in the history of Bari.”

I understand that you don’t think there will be a vote. Is that so? «In my opinion the conditions are not there. I hope that the electoral round will be postponed by a few months. Furthermore, on 26 June the members of the access commission established by the Interior Ministry (to ascertain the mafia presence in the Municipality, ed.) will have to send the outcome of their assessment. At that point the prefect has 45 days to transmit the documents to the government, which then with a Council of Ministers, subject to the countersignature of the President of the Republic, could proceed with the dissolution for organized crime. Let’s not forget that tomorrow the list of municipalities voting next June will be published by ministerial decree.” Is the centre-right candidate Fabio Romito the right man for Bari? «He deeply loves this city and thanks to the enthusiasm of his young age he can represent the break with the old system and encourage generational change». What are the stages for a relaunch of the Apulian capital? «I hope it will be the capital of the Mediterranean and gateway to the East. Concretely, even within the Mattei Plan it can be a crucial platform with African countries, Turkey and the Balkan area.” The European elections are also scheduled for June: what do you expect from this electoral round? «I hope for the victory of the centre-right and a clear affirmation of the Brothers of Italy. I remain a little perplexed by the contradiction we risk facing: after the vote, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will bring the most important nations in the world to Puglia and in Europe instead there is the possibility that the candidate for the European Parliament Decaro will export the mafia investigations ».