«The President of the regional Order of Journalists of Campania Ottavio Lucarelli recently informed me that he had withdrawn the Order’s willingness to organize and moderate the announced public debate that I had proposed to the candidate Laura Nargi. The decision, explained President Lucarelli, comes following the requests made by Nargi herself in order to completely exclude, from the list of possible questions, any reference to the judicial investigation which involves her together with the former Mayor Gianluca Festa, under arrest house arrest”. Thus in a note Antonio Gengaro, candidate for the tricolor band of Avellino for the center-left.
«This request, Lucarelli explained to me, appears to be an inappropriate attempt to interfere in the free exercise of journalistic activity. I can only agree with this point, considering that no one – me, like Laura Nargi – is allowed to choose the questions, topics, interlocutors and contents to their liking. Those who are not afraid of the truth answer all questions, without problems, without pretenses, with transparency.”
«It is therefore evident – Gengaro continues – the desire to avoid confrontation, the desire to hide the truth from the people of Avellino. I publicly thank the Order of Journalists of Campania and President Lucarelli for their patient work over the past few days. Clear and transparent rules had been proposed to both Mayoral candidates for carrying out the debate in maximum serenity, with the involvement of a representative from each local newspaper, with limited response times equal for both candidates. Tomorrow’s date had also already been identified, Tuesday at 8pm, in Piazza della Libertà, as agreed and desired by both me and Laura Nargi’s staff.”
«Every citizen of Avellino – concludes the centre-left candidate – could have peacefully listened and formed an independent opinion. This will not be the case because there are those who imagine they govern Avellino in the shadows, speaking only of promises and illusions, without ever accounting for their actions. Laura Nargi made a serious mistake. Those who have nothing to hide always accept confrontation.”
