«The government should refinance the special law». Exactly three hours after the entrance fee came into force on Thursday, the mayor of Venice Luigi Brugnaro — in front of the Santa Lucia station, in the background the traffic controls QR codes — launched the appeal to Rome. Not the first, to be honest. For decades, all the mayors who have taken turns in the government of Venice have been asking for certainty about the funds for its protection. Including Brugnaro whose requests, supported by an agenda bipartisan of the city council, were delivered to Rome again in November 2020, twelve months after the “acqua grande” of 187 centimetres: 150 million a year for ten years for protection and maintenance interventions, for sewers, banks, canals, bell towers and also special tenders to revitalize the center and islands.
The alarm also raised by the Pope
A cry of alarm which however remained a dead letter. With the aggravating circumstance, as Brugnaro recalls, that «now i funds of Special Law are right finished». For this reason, the government «at a time when it wants to build the bridge over the Strait of Messina must put in money to save Venice» because «they ask us to UNESCO And Europe». And now Pope Francis is also asking for it. He did it on Sunday from Piazza San Marco, in front of ten thousand faithful and on live television: «This city built on water without the care and safeguard of this natural scenario could even cease to exist.” And again: «We are worried about the many problems that threaten it: i climate changes which have an impact on the waters of the lagoon and on the territory, the fragility of buildings and cultural heritage but also of peoplethe difficulty of creating an environment that is on a human scale through adequate management of tourism».
Speranzon (Brothers of Italy): «Politics must act, something will be done»
Strengthened by the Pope’s assist, Venice hopes to be able to obtain, at least, guarantees on the appropriation of funds as part of that package of regulations created after the 192 centimeters of high water on 4 November 1966 to protect the city and the lagoon, its artistic, architectural and environmental heritage. And which in 1973, the year the Law came into force, brought 300 billion of lire in Venice. «It is necessary that the politics take action — says Senator FdI Raffaele Speranzon —. If Italy prides itself on having our city as its heritage, it must be aware of its fragility. The MOSE, which thank goodness exists, has drained special law funds and now needs to be refinanced. It is a commitment that we make as Brothers of Italy. Surely something will be donethe government supports Venice, it did so with 168 million Pnrr for the Biennale and 97.5 million for the Bosco dello sport».
Martella (Pd): «The amendments for 150 million a year were rejected»
Senator Pd Andrea Martella defines the Pope’s words as “far-sighted”. “What he said on Sunday from San Marco should call for the need to intervene – he observes -. Guilty the government rejected all the amendments I presented which provided for 150 million a year as requested by the Municipality. The initiative must be taken up again: I am at the city’s disposal.” Martella, who had already presented proposals for reform of the Special Law in the past and who boasts the authorship of theLagoon Authoritythe new institution that will have to manage the Mose and the safeguard interventions, looks to the future: «We need a new special law, updated – he underlines – and we must immediately start thinking about after the Mose, what will become of Venice in fifty years’ time».
Bettin: «Ticket also paid by relatives of recent graduates»
In the meantime, however, funds are needed. «The words of the Holy Father help us – explains the budget councilor Michele Zuin —. Our budget is healthy but the historic city cannot be protected without a special law. Pnrr and Pon metro do not exclude the need for funding for protection”. Yesterday, the fifth day of tickets, there were 16,093 paying tourists, 49 thousand hotel guests and 15 thousand QR codes checked. The controversies those against the contribution are not appeased: «The relatives of the parents were made to pay the ticket 700 new graduates who celebrated in San Marco on April 30th – attacks the Green Gianfranco Bettin —certainly not a mass event, but rather a significant moment of positive relationship between the city and those who study there.” Zuin replies, from a distance: «They are visitors like the others».
