“For greater protection with respect to criminal sanctions, while awaiting a more specific regulatory framework, the municipality of Siena has decided to renew the request for registration in the “Calendar of historical re-enactment events in Tuscany” by sending the appropriate form question to the Region”. We learn this from a press release issued by the municipality of Siena itself which also specifies how “The municipal administration, having consulted the Rector of the Magistrate of the Contrade, has sent the documentation in its capacity as local body organizing the Palio”.
The registration application, relating to the year 2025, is drawn up using the forms on the Tuscany region portal, and must be received by 30 April of the current year. The calendar was established with regional law number 27 of 3 June 2021, entitled “Enhancement of the intangible historical-cultural heritage and popular culture of Tuscany. Discipline of regional historical re-enactments”. In addition to establishing the list of historical re-enactment associations, the regional law establishes in particular that “the regional council, by 30 June of each year, with reference to the following year, following the opinion of the historical re-enactment committee of Tuscany referred to in article 6, approves the annual calendar of historical re-enactment events in Tuscany, organized by local authorities or associations registered in the list referred to in article 4, as governed by the provisions of article 13, and taking into account the anniversary and commemorations of each year”.
According to the assessments of the Municipality of Siena, pending a more specific regulatory framework, registration in this calendar can offer greater protection for all the participants in the Palio with respect to criminal sanctions. Law number 184 of 2004, in fact, establishes that the “provisions of Title IX-bis of Book II of the Criminal Code do not also apply to historical and cultural events authorized by the competent Region”. It should also be underlined that regional law number 59 of 20 October 2009 (“Regulations for the protection of animals”) states in article 15 that “events involving the use of animals are authorized by the Municipality where they take place, on the basis of criteria defined by the regulation referred to in article 41, subject to the favorable opinion of the competent local health authority”.
