«Bella ciao» becomes a municipal question. After the “event” of April 25, the minority councilors ask to see things clearly.
The facts. At the departure of the procession, from the public gardens, the vice-president of the provincial ANPI, speaking with the members of the city musical band «G.Cotti», had noted that the symbolic song of April 25th was not in the list of songs. The musicians of the band would therefore not have played it without some representative of the institutions having taken the responsibility of changing the official set list. Mayor Maurizio Rasero was absent and was traveling in China. Deputy Mayor Stefania Morra was present and represented the Municipality in the celebrations.
And so «Bella Ciao» regularly accompanied the procession on April 25th. «Our request for clarification aims to avoid a useless “witch hunt”, discussions or hypotheses», says Vittoria Briccarello, among the signatories of the interpellation together with her group leader from UnitiSiPuò, Mauro Bosia and her colleague from Ambiente Asti, Mario Malandrone. «The administration must tell us clearly what happened – asks Briccarello – and make sure it doesn’t happen again».
Only one thing are the minority councilors certain of: «To sing Bella Ciao during this April 25th, discussions had to be held, and this is unacceptable: it is obvious that, regardless of who made the mistake, there is there was little awareness in drawing up the musical lineup.”
«Bella Ciao», apparently, had ended up lost among the meanders of the municipal and prefectural offices, in a Kafkaesque situation that dates back to at least last year. Even on April 25, 2023, the band did not have the song in its setlist, but the situation was resolved quickly and without too much fuss by the mayor Maurizio Rasero, the Anpi president Paolo Monticone and the band president Paolo Tiengo: all absent this April 25 . The songs to be played during the event are chosen during meetings between Municipality and Prefecture employees. For reasons still unknown, already last year, «Bella Ciao» had not been included in the «disappearance» of the city band. The initial lack of singing in 2023 then fell into oblivion, to inevitably recur in 2024. «I was unaware of everything – says deputy mayor Morra – there is no problem on the part of the administration in playing “Bella ciao ”». “The problem – she adds – would have been there if it hadn’t been rung. We will understand what went wrong, to ensure that this situation never arises again”.
Prefect Claudio Ventrice was also in the dark: «I categorically deny that the order was issued not to play “Bella ciao” from my offices». «The city band – explained President Tiengo – is an apolitical voluntary association. However we play what they tell us to play. I think that at the origin there was certainly a misunderstanding that was not attributable to us.”
