Milan, 26 June. The Lombardy Regional Council approved by majority (45 votes in favour, 19 against and 1 abstention) the motion on the ‘forced recovery of arrears for the occupation of public housing’, the so-called ‘Salis motion’. The original text was modified in the first instance in agreement with the Council and subsequently on the basis of two amendments presented by the Lega group and the Lombardia Migliore group and accepted by the proponent.
“The public ownership of public housing – highlighted the first signatory Marcello Ventura (FdI) illustrating the text in the Chamber – is a fundamental right to guarantee dignified housing for less well-off citizens. In recent days, it has been learned through the press that the Honorable Salis has illegally occupied public accommodation. We therefore note what Aler’s lawyers stated in the press, where it is ascertained that the MEP has not paid the accumulated debt and has not provided valid justifications for the arrears. With this motion we therefore ask the Council to urge Aler to implement the legal procedures required for the recovery of the credit claimed, including the forwarding of a specific request to the competent judge to obtain the seizure of the current accounts of the Honorable Salis up to the amount of the credit boasted.”
“I wanted to underline the importance of respecting private property and protecting public assets,” Ventura concluded: “it is unacceptable that a representative of the highest community institutions promotes violent and criminal behavior by conveying messages that encourage illegal conduct against public housing apartments in the Lombardy Region.”
The regional housing councilor, Paolo Franco, reassured the Chamber that Aler always does everything required by law to guarantee compliance with the rules and the recovery of its debts and will also do so in the case of Ilaria Salis.
The occupation situation from 2019 to 2024, the councilor underlined, has improved slightly: we went from 3,145 to 2,751 illegally occupied Aler Milan accommodations. Aler has taken steps to sue 1000 illegal occupants with respect for regular tenants and citizens on the waiting list: “I believe it is necessary to review the memorandum of understanding with the prefecture – he said – to manage evictions in a more effective and rapid way in which makes the use of public force necessary.”
