“No more top-down projects.” This was reiterated by the participants, over two thousand, at the ‘In Liguria we demonstrate united’ demonstration, which took place on Saturday 11 May 2024 in via Fanti d’Italia in the Principe station area. Event was organized by: for Genoa La Rete Genovese and the Ponente Committees; for Savona Let’s stop the monster and Those of the chain; for La Spezia Posidonia Committee and Rete Ambiente Altro Turismo; for Imperia Attac.
The demonstration was preceded by some disagreements between the organizers and the leader of the 5 Star movement, Giuseppe Conte. “The promoters of the demonstration on 11 May ‘In Liguria we demonstrate united’ dissociate themselves from any attempt at political and media exploitation. They reiterate – we read in a note – that the initiative was promoted and organized by committees, associations and citizens without any involvement of political parties. To this end, we believe that Giuseppe Conte’s post, announcing his participation in the demonstration, is instrumental and misleading because it does not mention the promoters or the contents of the demonstration in the slightest.”
The organizers “also dissociate themselves from a part of the press, which this morning paints the demonstration as the procession for Toti’s resignation. To them – we read again – it is reiterated loud and clear that the reasons that led to taking to the streets are fine beyond the stigmatization of the behavior of individual exponents of the political and business world, citizens are asking for a decisive change in the clientelistic and corrupt political model which uses the citizens’ vote to manage power against the interests of the community from which the centralization of power derives. and the exclusion of citizens from any democratic and control process. And this is forcefully asked of all political forces.”
Less than an hour after the start of the demonstration, Giuseppe Conte clarified the terms of his participation in a post. “I am in Liguria these days and yesterday, after reading about the demonstration announced in Genoa by the Ligurian network of civic committees and associations, I decided to take part – writes the former prime minister – to respond presently to their appeal to the political forces and to a change of pace in politics that provides for more transparency and sharing in choices for more effective protection of health, the environment and the territory”.
“In haste – continues Conte -, I communicated my presence at this demonstration by citing only the title that summarizes it: ‘In Liguria we demonstrate united’. This has generated a misunderstanding about my role and that of the 5 Star Movement. I’m sorry that this is for the organizers and members of the demonstration and for the members of my political community. I therefore specify that we have no organizational responsibility and my membership and that of my friends of the Movement will take place only by adhering to the appeal launched to the political forces and by sharing. of the principles and spirit that animate this event”.
“The M5S has always been sensitive to these issues – concludes Conte – and is strongly committed to preventing the perverse intertwining between politics and business and the spread of a way of doing politics based on patronage systems. It will continue to do its part to carry forward the requests, which emerge spontaneously from the civil society of Liguria and all the territories of our Peninsula”.
Reasons for the event
Region, local authorities, various extraordinary commissioners are pursuing a short-sighted land management policy, without a horizon that goes beyond selling it off for the gain of a few. Suburbs reduced to logistical bases, servitude of urban planning and infrastructural works with serious impacts while they are progressively deprived of essential services. Showcase places dedicated to mass tourism, the hit-and-run tourism of cruises and events, with cities for sale to private interests, territories to be used, consumed, abandoned when they are no longer needed.
With the assault on Pnrr and government funds, the population is hostage to infrastructural and entrepreneurial projects that want to change the face of the Region without any type of democratic participation in the choices and planning of the cities. We say no to infrastructure projects that will have negative repercussions on the environment, health, quality of life, public education, i.e. on the socio-economic conditions of the territories, without positive repercussions for the community not even in terms of employment, considering the large use of the subcontracting chain , which exploits workers to optimize profits, with negative effects also on workplace safety.
Let’s think of a territory tailored to those who live and work there, where it is beautiful and easy to stay for those who think of arriving and for those who want to stay. We demand from current and future administrations:
- discussion with citizens through the activation of participatory processes and public debates for the design of public works and infrastructures and for redevelopment interventions functional to collective well-being
- the implementation and adoption by all municipal councils of participatory tools such as those envisaged by the popular initiative resolutions approved in Genoa by previous councils: creation of the charter of citizens’ rights and of a shared participation regulation (Cons. Resolution Municipality of Genoa 389/2016 of 01/31/2017) to implement protocols that consider the quality of life of the population, the protection of health and the environment, and the safety of the territories as priorities;
- a model of sustainable development, investments in education, healthcare, accessible and quality public transport, maintenance of the territory and greenery, policies to combat climate change and stop overbuilding.
