In an increasingly declining city, a normal activity becomes an event to be emphasized as if it were the one of the century. In a Reggio Calabria depressed and apathetic, but above all anarchic (because anarchy now reigns supreme), a City Council open becomes a tool democracy incredibly positive, surprising, beautiful. Oh sure, it’s always been like this! Open City Councils, public debates, assemblies with citizens have always been a sign of democracy. But it’s normal, or at least that’s how it should be. But in Reggio Calabria the Municipal Administration does not speak with the city, with the Associations, with the entrepreneurs. And therefore a City Council open to Bridge over the Strait becomes a exceptional fact.
We would not like to continuously make comparisons with Messina, but it’s impossible not to. A few days ago we highlighted the comparison with the summer in the two cities, today we do it on the theme of Bridge. Even on the Sicilian side, as well as on the Calabrian side, the Municipality says it is against the work (with a sensational about-face), but the discussions, the real debates, have been and still are. For months. The establishment of Bridge Commission brought to Palazzo Zanca experts, including international ones, delegations from No Ponte, Ciucci, Engineers, Architects. Everyone. Really everyone. A Royal Assembly open to the city, a constructive discussion.
In Reggio Calabria, with extreme delay, a soft City Council, extinguished. Of course, the public and democratic debate remains, but it is useless. Why yes, yesterday was it a useless City Council. Those who have been against it for some time have reiterated their thoughts in the Battaglia Chamber through press releases and demonstrations. Those who say they are in favor have done nothing more than argue through the usual stock phrases. In short, a superficial comparison, based on rhetoric and “flatness”, what the city has been experiencing for some time. No interesting intervention, no intervention on the merits. Only distinct, clear and separate positions. Politics? Ditto, but we’re not surprised by that.
It was obvious, then, that the Mayor would focus on the his intervention on the absence of Lega and Forza Italia. Their absence is also very obvious. And legitimate too. Or do we think that today, in these days, in these hours, we can talk openly and calmly about the Strait Bridge with the risk on the horizon (not too far away) that the Municipality of Reggio Calabria be dissolved?
The Centre-Right Reggino deserted the Assembly precisely for this reason, because it makes no sense to participate in a Council of this kind, without any objective or possible result, among other things at a time when the city has other problems. With what credibility can this be done, given that this has already been lost? How can you talk about any other problem today with an ongoing investigation involving the Mayor and the leader of his own party in the Council?
For Lega and Forza Italia, parties more in favor of the Bridge, yesterday’s Council was even more of a senseless one. And do you know why? Because 90% of the interventions, No Bridge, were staged within an event organized by an Administration also No Bridge. From the series: “if they sing it and play it”. But there’s more: just a few days before, just a few days ago, at European elections 55% of people from Reggio voted for the pro-Bridge parties and only 35% for the no-Bridge parties.
This is real democracy: voting. Because you can make so much “noise”, because a thousand of you can show up at a demonstration that has 600 thousand inhabitants, because 20 or 25 people can speak in an open City Council, but they will never represent the popular will. And the parties in favor would have done nothing other than highlight a clear, clear and already reiterated fact: Reggio and Messina want the Bridge over the Strait!
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