PESCARA – “I am running to win in the first round, and be mayor for the next three years, and then of Nuova Pescara for the next five years. The city needs a radical change of method, and to remedy the failure of Carlo Masci’s administration, which does so without thinking, and then backtracks, wasting citizens’ money.”
The one who sounds the charge, in the interview with Abruzzoweb, is Carlo Costantini, civic candidate for mayor of Pescara, in the June elections, of the broad-based coalition that brings together the democratic party, the 5 Star Movement, the list that includes the Italian Left, the Greens and Radici in common, the two civic ones Carlo Costantini mayor and Faremo grande Pescara. He will have to deal with the outgoing mayor Carlo Masciof Forza Italia, re-candidate of the centre-right coalition, and with Domenico Pettinariformer regional councilor of the 5 Star Movement, head of a civic coalition.
Carlo Costantini, 63 years old, cassation lawyer, began his political commitment as councilor and municipal councilor of San Giovanni Teatino (Chieti). From 2000 to 2005, and from 2009 to 2013, he was regional councilor of Abruzzo, carrying out between The other is the role of President of the Supervisory Commission. In 2006 he was elected deputy to the Chamber of Deputies, with Italia dei valori, and was a member of the 1st Constitutional Affairs Commission and of the Legislation Committee. Confirmed as a deputy in 2008, he was president of the bicameral commission for the simplification of legislation, and in December 2008 he ran for president of the Region for the centre-left coalition, beaten by the centre-right of Gianni Chiodi. He therefore decided to renounce the parliamentary seat to remain in Abruzzo as a regional opposition councilor.
In 2013 he left Italy of values, and founded it together with the mayor of Palermo Leoluca Orlando the 139 Movement. He was the promoter of the consultative referendum relating to the merger of the Municipalities of Pescara, Montesilvano and Spoltore, which took place in May 2014, leading the Yes front. The referendum saw those in favor triumph with 64% of the votes. In 2019 he ran for mayor of Pescara at the head of a coalition of civic lists and obtained 6.35% and the seat of councilor.
In September 2021 he joined Action, which however he abandoned in February, due to differences with the political line of the party of Carlo Calenda.
Carlo Costantini, what is the atmosphere like in your area in the electoral campaign that is now coming to life?
A truly climate of great optimism, due to the compactness of the coalition, the strength of the political proposal and the quality of the people who have already given their willingness to run as candidates to date.
Dto his point of view, cWhat absolutely needs to be changed in Pescara, where the outgoing mayor Carlo Masci failed?
The method is wrong. You have to think first and then do. And instead on too many occasions we first did it and then thought about it, and we were forced to take steps backwards. There are countless examples of errors made, which have led to a huge waste of resources put into place. Viale Marconi was built and redone three times, on each occasion Mayor Masci said that this would be the project of his life, but in fact two million euros were spent and today Viale Marconi is much worse than it was in 2019 Pescara could then have taken off, because it is true that there was the covid pandemic, but it is also true that a huge amount of money rained on Pescara with the Pnrr, funds however unpacked and used for small interventions, without a strategic vision.
Is the question of legality one of its strong points: the case of the municipal manager of the public works sector Fabrizio Trisi, investigated on charges ranging from corruption to the possession and sale of narcotic substances, even in his office at the Municipality?
In addition to the criminal aspect, which is the responsibility of the Judiciary, there is also the political one, because this manager has managed many public works and as opposition we have asked for the establishment of the investigative commission to analytically reconstruct the progress of all the contracts of contract managed by him. But the majority rejected this proposal. From a personal point of view, I also hope that Trisi can demonstrate his non-involvement in the serious facts contested.
You participated in the flash mob to protest the mega structure that is currently hosting the national programmatic conference of Fratelli d’Italia…
I confirm that this is an act of arrogance. Thousands of square meters of free beach were occupied for almost a month and taken away from the people of Pescara. I spent thousands and thousands of euros on electoral posters, Fratelli d’Italia just 3,000 euros for a mega structure on thousands of square meters of free beach, in the most prestigious point of the Pescara coast, behind Cascella’s ship, blocking the view of the sea. I wonder which citizen or entrepreneur could ever hope to obtain the costs of something like this in this way. If I had asked, they would have replied with a raspberry…
How is your relationship with the 5 Star Movement taking into account your militancy with Action, a party at the opposite end of the spectrum for many programmatic points?
Excellent, and I would like to underline that I left Action before the regional elections. He was a simple member, but then differences of opinion emerged on fundamental aspects of national and European politics. In 2019, I would like to remind you that I was elected as a municipal councilor with civic lists, and to date I have no party membership cards.
What is your relationship with Domenico Pettinari, in the event of a run-off you will form an alliance against Carlo Masci.
I don’t even ask myself the problem: I’m sure I’ll win in the first round. For the rest we have known each other for twenty years, he has undertaken the path and I respect him, and he respects the path I have undertaken.
However, a poll in Noto, commissioned by the centre-right, gives Carlo Masci a clear advantage…
That survey really leaves time behind: it dates back to the end of March when my candidacy for mayor was not yet official, and many people from Pescara didn’t even know it. Yet having already received 42% in that survey already gratified me, even before I took the field.
A much more reliable survey will be done in mid-May, with all the lists and candidates in the running. Doing it first is a waste of money but evidently the centre-right parties can afford it….
This advice will be historic in its own way because it will be the bridge for the establishment of Grande Pescara with the merger with Montesilvano and Spoltore. Are there those who are against this merger?
The merger must be done because it was sanctioned by a referendum, and today 90% of the people of Pescara want it. The differences arise over the method: the Pescara centre-right has an arrogant attitude towards Spoltore and Montesilvano, who feel marginalized. As mayor I will use a completely different methodology. We must not start from the assumption that Pescara is the best in everything.
There are rumors that there is a pact with the deputy Luciano d’Alfonso, who could be a candidate in three years, when we will return to vote for the mayor of the new Pescara…
I am applying for these three years and then for the next five. There is a cordial and collaborative relationship with d’Alfonso and he too will fight in the electoral campaign to support me.
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