Tension skyrocketing in the regional majority between the Democratic Party and the Action group. After the law on the dismissal of general managers supported by the Calendians and canceled ex abrupto in the Commission by the Democratic Party, yesterday it was the turn of the anti-bribery bill signed by the regional councilor Ruggero Mennea. A text already rejected by the chamber about a year ago and by the commission in the past, but recently taken up and discussed also with the regional presidency which had asked for three corrections to dismiss the law. And instead yesterday the Dem group, in agreement with the Civica Con and the M5s, carried out another blitz to the detriment of Action, scuppering the measure. That is, the establishment, on the basis of a 2011 legislative decree, of a protective anti-corruption shield to protect the Puglia Region and its associated bodies by introducing a transparent management model to track incoming and outgoing public funding and contributions, protecting the beneficiary companies in the event of judicial investigations.
The fight
The proposed law, however, ended up at the center of the internal feud within the majority that erupted after the administrative elections which led to the repositioning of all the parties. The Democratic Party, cheered by the vote, took the snitch back into its own hands by sending a clear signal to Action, the second in a row after the issue of the ASL directors, with a punch in the stomach that re-established the internal balance of power. And so four of them voted no: the president of the Commission Di Gregorio, the commissioners Caracciolo and Lopalco (Pd) and Leoci (Con), while Grazia Di Bari of the M5s. Massimiliano Di Cuia (Forza Italia), Massimiliano Stellato (Misto) and Renato Perrini (FdI) are in favour.
The reactions
The reaction of the group leader of Azione Mennea was harsh: «I take note – he commented – that the government majority rejects an anti-corruption law. I will publicly ask to explain why, given that the law was approved in other Regions to make processes more transparent. Having an effective organizational model is an added value in compliance with the principles of legality and ethics that the Puglia Region claims to be inspired by». «We – concluded Mennea – will not retreat a millimeter in this battle and we will move forward».
War
A trip that could lead the Calendians to review their collaborative relationships with the majority. In response, former dem group leader Caracciolo, in response to Mennea, clarified that “despite agreeing on the legality, the law is not convincing as the Region is already equipped with sufficient tools to guarantee these principles”. The colleagues in the group are tougher. «We don’t accept moral lessons from anyone. Our no arises from the reflection that the Mennea law, as emerges from the notes of the general secretariat of the Council, has no impact in terms of transparency and legality. On the other hand, such important issues must be treated with respect and with useful measures, not becoming showcases to conquer some newspaper pages, we invite councilor Mennea not to wear legality shirts and not to issue driving licenses”. In short, the war continues.
