After the controversy sparked by a comment left by mayor Dimitri Cassani towards the new mayor of Arsago Claudio Montagnoli comes a clarification and an apology from whoever triggered it. Cassani spread his reconstruction of the facts without hesitating to apologize to the newly elected Montagnoli. We publish its contents:
“Yes, we are imperfect beings, I in particular certainly have more defects than advantages, some of these then lead me to make mistakes which, given the institutional role, I should avoid.
Yesterday, commenting on a post by a friend, the former Councilor of the municipality of Arsago, Roberta Mantovan, I quoted a passage from the Gospel which in politics is usually used to portray a particular situation, a state of mind, the good ones would say that I used an artifice, a sort of “figure of speech” to create a particular effect.
This was the one and only intention, to make Roberta understand that, sometimes, the great commitment and the results obtained are not enough and the people choose according to other criteria.
Open heaven! The quote in question spoke of Barabbas, a zealot rebel (not a thief) and it was immediately thought that my reference was directed to the newly elected Mayor Claudio Montagnoli, almost no one stopped to analyze the context in which the comment was inserted, there was just enough to make the sensational article.
Was I careless? Definitely yes, with hindsight I could and should have avoided leaving room for a legitimate interpretation even if it did not adhere to the meaning I intended to attribute to it.
I shared 4 years of government with Claudio Montagnoli, I was present at the investiture, with him, of his successor Fabio Montagnoli who later became Mayor, I know him as well as he knows me, I have never had any particular reasons for conflict, because I should have insult him?
Are they accusing me of having sided with Fabio, just because I participated in 2 evenings at his invitation together with other Mayors of the CUV? I would have done the same with him if only he had invited me, I challenge anyone to find a single statement made in favor of one or the other.
As soon as I read the first article I picked up the phone and called him to clarify things, unfortunately he didn’t answer me just as he didn’t answer the next message I sent him and which he read.
I admit, the comment could be interpreted as it was made, I wrote it without any malice and if he felt offended I offer him my public apologies, institutional respect is not at issue here but that of the person who, for me, it always comes before everything, as I said at the beginning I have many defects but I’m not afraid to apologize when I realize I’ve made a mistake even if not intentionally, as in this case!”
Dimitri Cassani
Mayor of Casorate Sempione
