COSENZA – The unique city of Cosenza is a great opportunity. No, it’s a stretch. For and against in today’s debate organized in Cosenza by Nazione Futura and which was also recorded bright tones and a near fight between the different positions. In the introduction Vincenzo Campanellacoordinator of Nazione Futura and organizer of the meeting, underlined how this debate was the first truly democratic and participatory with the presence of those in favor and against.
In a video message, Simona Loizzo, member of the League, recalled that, as a regional councilor, she was the first to present the bill. “We must build the city that Giacomo Mancini dreamed of – said Loizzo – with the university project around it.
Giuseppe Graziano he highlighted “the growth opportunities for the area. Overall and strong funding without losing any identity. Even if the referendum is consultative, if the no vote wins, we will have to stop.” John Greco, representing the Municipality of Castrolibero, strongly contested the regional bill. “There is an absolute lack of democracy – said Greco – and there has been no effort to unite the territories. It was necessary to unite the territories and not divide them – Greco continued. All the services that we currently guarantee to Castrolibero will be canceled in the event of a merger.
Francesco Caruso, city councilor and former deputy mayor of Cosenza, said that “there are few against the single city and those who are defend the bell tower. The citizens want this unique reality to give impetus to the entire province. For me too, the referendum must be binding and I am sure that the yes vote will win.” For Franz Caruso, mayor of Cosenza” putting together a broken municipality and a municipal police station for mafia infiltration is a disaster. And this announces the disaster that the center-right is presenting “I have put the single city project in my program – added Caruso – but not in this way. A way that tramples Rende, which has no voice, and which resembles an annexation. It was necessary to plan the common services and arrive at a truly democratic path – added the mayor of Cosenza – but the Calabrian centre-right does as the national one does which approves differentiated autonomy without caring about the Bishops and the South. A centre-right which has presented a feasibility study because it says nothing – said Franz Caruso – excluding the southern area, Montalto Uffugo and other neighboring areas. The centre-right has accelerated the pace – concluded the mayor of Cosenza – because it simply wants to carry out a political blitz which has nothing to do with my idea of a single city. A debate which then saw heated discussions between the speakers.
Franco Iacucci, vice president of the regional council, he said that “this was the first opportunity to really compare who is in favor and who is against. We are for the single city but not for this law wanted by the center-right. If we get to the referendum we will vote yes. But we ask the center-right to stop and not proceed with majority blows.” “Who pays the debts of the failing municipality? Iacucci added. We are for the single city but not for this law. Obviously the referendum must be binding but not for each municipality as the mayor of Castrolibero would like – concluded Iacucci -; and I must underline the correctness of Luciana De Francesco in the work of the legislative process in the commission.
Sandro Principe said that “thanks to Nazione Futura a beautiful page of democracy has been built. “To talk about a unique city we need to talk about history – said Principe -. There is a right that thinks that the single city signifies a base reality, erasing a great history. In Rende, from the Metropolis to the Water Park, to Viale Principe, to the university, everything we built in Rende served the urban area and the whole of Calabria and not just one municipality. We expropriated 250 hectares to build the university while in Mendicino 15 hectares were not expropriated to build the new hospital. We have an industrial area that is extraordinary while in Cosenza there is nothing left – added Principe. There was an undemocratic process – said Principe – and it is undeniable. We will go to the TAR and the Council of State – continued Principe -.
The citizens want a unique city – he said Luciana De Francesco concluding the work – and the majority of those who don’t want it simply defend themselves. As President of the commission, as was acknowledged by my colleague Iacucci, I was open to all proposals and suggestions. The mystifications about the idyllic relations between Cosenza and Rende hide the responsibilities of political wars that lasted thirty years – added De Francesco – as well as those relating to tributes. Legislative Decree 50 of 2017 is clear and the citizens of Rende and Castrolibero will not pay Cosenza’s debts. We involved the municipalities, parliamentarians, associations, intermediate bodies – added De Francesco – as proof of our sense of participation. Popular sovereignty is fundamental and we will respect it just as we will respect the Constitution. The feasibility study we commissioned – said De Francesco – confirms the great opportunities connected to the unique city. And we will do it for young people and for the future.
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