Claudio Guidetti, regional president and provincial secretary of Action in Reggio Emilia, writes in a note: “With reference to the occupation of the clinics by the AQ16 social centre, we want to express our position promptly and precisely.
No silence from Marco Massari and no endorsement of illegality on his part, as instrumentally supported by the right in search of sterile controversy to mask its inability to produce credible quality proposals for the future of the city. The occupation of the clinics by the social center was a non-violent demonstration that we do not agree with as an act, but I would not make it a more serious case than it is in reality. Fortunately, violent events do not occur in Reggio as in other cities and universities. The protest, when it happens, is peaceful and this is a precise sign of mature democracy. The occupation, however, if it wants to maintain a peaceful demonstrative meaning, must end “immediately”, as declared and done yesterday by the social center and any small damages, if any, “compensated” in full to the ASL, owner of the property, cleaning included.
Housing is a serious problem and Azione is well aware of the problem and considers it important. The property in question is for sale with the mandatory instruments provided by law and the difficult economic situation certainly doesn’t help. The Municipality’s Pru (urban recovery plan) envisages the recovery of the property for multi-purpose, residential (also “subsidized”), services and tertiary uses. We need to work politically on this issue, also seeking public-private collaborations capable of giving concrete answers to the city’s needs. In this sense, an important role can be played by the public in collaboration with the owners’ association.
Concessions should also be put in place for those companies that decide to invest independently to provide accommodation for their workers, as a form of support and incentive to attract workers compared to other situations. However, Azione Reggio Emilia considers this occupation to be a non-violent and inappropriate demonstrative act as well as useless for the purposes for which it was done and we do not agree with it as such due to its nature. We believe it is more politically effective to provide answers to citizens who need a home and services, working with commitment to the drafting of a good administrative program for the future of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, including the housing chapter and directing our best energies into this sense. The complexities posed by a medium-sized city like Reggio require concrete, pragmatic and non-ideological or prejudicial administrative and political responses.
Action remains focused on the concrete issues and will carry forward its liberal reformist and liberal Catholic values with its representation in the future administration. With these basic values, Action will propose the best ideas for Reggio and its political-administrative method and will do so with the appropriate experience and skills. Citizens ask for answers, not propaganda actions by groups or useless interventions by small parties in search of easy visibility.
: AQ16 was wrong, but the house is a serious problem){kind=link}