PALERMO (ITALPRESS) – Caterina Chinnici, Margherita La Rocca Ruvolo, Bernadette Grasso, Marco Falcone, Edy Tamajo and Massimo Dell’Utri: this is the team with which the Sicilian component of Forza Italia takes the field in the European elections of the 8th and 9th June. Three men and as many women, with Chinnici leading the list, and the ambition to still see the European People’s Party at the top of continental institutions: the regional coordinator of Forza Italia Marcello coordinated the presentation of the candidates, held at the Hotel Cavalieri in Palermo Caruso.
The latter explains how the list has “important ambitions, because the value of the candidates expresses our desire to give voters the right to choose representatives capable of asserting Sicily’s demands in Europe. This region has always made a great contribution to the results of Forza Italia, thanks to an important moderate tradition: for good luck’s sake I don’t want to say first what number we want to reach, but we will certainly have the possibility of exceeding double figures and we will do our utmost to give a high-level result for our party.” The objective of Forza Italia, adds Caruso, is to present itself as “the home of moderates, liberals, pro-Europeans, guaranteeists and Atlanticists: all of them today can present their demands in a political force that has historically embraced the values of the People’s Party European”.
Chinnici underlines the desire to continue the work already carried out in the European Parliament for over ten years: “Whoever is running is moved by the spirit of making an authentic contribution to our territory. The fight against organized crime must be addressed not at a regional level, but at a European level: in this sense Italy has made a great contribution. I have also worked on the protection of European funding with respect to the purposes for which they are provided: there are great riches that we have the task of drawing on to enhance our territories, sometimes the procedures are complex and the tenders are difficult to interpret but so far there have been almost no resources necessary to deal with these situations. Fortunately, the Commission is working towards simplification.” Equally important for Chinnici will be to bring to Europe “commitment, competence and opportunities for citizens and businesses of our territory, while on the insularity front we want to bridge the infrastructural gap with the rest of Italy”.
Rocca Ruvolo, mayor of Montevago, underlines the need for a change of pace on the part of continental institutions: “Politics must be the citizens’ front office and Europe must be closer to the South, after having done considerable damage in past in particular with regards to agriculture. My experience as mayor guides me to bring the needs of the territory and the needs of Sicily around.”
Grasso, coordinator of Forza Italia in Messina and mayor of Rocca di Caprileone, also highlights the urgency of a change of pace in an extremely delicate phase on a global level: “This is a crucial moment for Europe, there is a need to a moderate force that embodies the values of freedom launched by Berlusconi: we must all row in the direction of peace and responsibility”.
For Falcone, one of the two regional councilors lined up by the party for the electoral appointment, it is essential that the creation of a moderate pole looks beyond the European elections: “Sicily and Sardinia needed a non-improvised but reasoned list, which would include the moderate forces and had a political project projected into the future: we must not be afraid of sharing a long-term project with other forces that espouse values and concepts that are cornerstones for us”. The reference is to the political forces teaming up with Forza Italia, i.e. Noi Moderati and the Movement for Autonomy.
Tamajo, the other councilor called to take the field, focuses on the attractive capacity of Forza Italia and what distinguishes it from other political forces: “After Berlusconi’s death someone had predicted a mass flight from Forza Italia, instead now there is a party that grows stronger and becomes competitive from time to time: our objective is to relaunch Sicily with examples of good governance. The Catholics no longer had a home, now thanks to Forza Italia they have one: the Democratic Party is too close to the 5 Star Movement, the League is no longer able to gain a foothold in Sicily and the Brothers of Italy are moving further and further to the right” .
With Dell’Utri absent because he is busy in Sardinia, the coordinator of Noi Moderati Saverio Romano represents his requests, underlining how “Berlusconi has positioned Forza Italia as an evolutionary function with respect to Christian Democracy in the European People’s Party: this common path follows the of those who founded the current center-right of our country. The right path is to restart a moment of aggregation against those extreme, populist and radical forces.”
– photo xd8 Italpress –
(ITALPRESS).
