Controversy in the regional council after the opposition asked the majority to report on the contents of the meeting between Giovanni Toti, under house arrest as part of the maxi investigation into corruption in Liguria, and three members of the council: the president ad interim Alessandro Piana and the councilors Giacomo Giampedrone and Marco Scajola.
Piana: “Meeting of a political nature”
Alessandro Piana explained that yesterday’s meeting was of a purely political nature, in particular on the government’s political programme, and ruled out that administrative aspects were addressed in the meeting and stated that “the declarations are the same as those made in the press conference, there are no other communications.”
Criticisms from the centre-left
Ferruccio Sansa (Lista Ferruccio Sansa president) declared that the council would no longer have legitimacy and credibility and that, therefore, it cannot continue its work and that it would be appropriate to return to the vote. Furthermore, the councilor objected that the issues addressed in yesterday’s meeting were not of a political nature, but of an administrative nature as issues were also discussed, among which he cited the health budget and the Vado regasification terminal. Position reiterated by list colleague Roberto Centi who underlined the difficult and uncertain climate in which the Regional Council finds itself and reiterated the need for the president’s resignation. Centi also underlined the absence of some political forces in yesterday’s meeting between the three councilors and Giovanni Toti. Same topic also addressed by Davide Natale (Pd-Article One), the councilor noted that there would be a split in the center-right as the reference councilors of the Brothers of Italy were missing from the meeting.
Toti, the faithful after the meeting: “No resignation, determined to continue”
Gianni Pastorino (Linea Condivisa) cited some aspects he considered worrying: the absence of the political referent, i.e. the president of the council Giovanni Toti, in the fundamental choices and future development prospects of the Region. The councilor mentioned the floating regasification terminal project in the Savona sea and the difficult financial situation of the Ligurian healthcare system, which emerged in yesterday’s meeting, and the future prospects with respect to Alisa’s functions.
Toti, Pd on the attack: “He must resign, Liguria held hostage. Let’s go back to the vote”
Paolo Ugolini (Mov5Stelle) noted that there would be a contradiction between what was declared in the chamber by the interim president Alessandro Piana, i.e. that the meeting with president Toti was only of a political and not administrative nature, and what was declared yesterday in the press conference by the councilors, at the end of the summit, as administrative issues were also addressed on that occasion. Party colleague Fabio Tosi stated that the current situation would certify that, without the figure of Toti, the council would not be able to move forward as the 9 years of administration would demonstrate that he was the only person capable of holding the government together majority, also thanks to the long and intense work of communication. According to Tosi, finally, there would be significant image damage for Liguria.
The centre-right’s replies
On the other hand, Angelo Vaccarezza (Forza Italia) reiterated the cohesion of the centre-right majority, declared that a debate on the meeting was not necessary and argued that this was an opportunity to once again reiterate the minority’s opposition to the project to place the regasification terminal in Vado Ligure. Sonia Viale (Lega Liguria-Salvini) declared that the opposition already has all the tools to know the direction of the administration and reiterated that the meeting between Toti and the representatives of the council took place outside the institutional context and it was an opportunity given to Giovanni Toti, who is at the height of his political abilities. Claudio Muzio (Forza Italia) criticized the minority’s handling of the matter as it blocked all the initiatives, agendas and motions that the opposition itself had presented and which were not dealt with because, again at the request of the groups minority, a debate was developed on yesterday’s meeting between the president Giovanni Toti and three councilors of the council. Muzio recalled that that meeting was, moreover, authorized by the preliminary investigation judge. Veronica Russo (Brothers of Italy) reiterated that the majority is cohesive and added that the interim president yesterday represented the entire council and the entire center-right coalition of the Legislative Assembly. The councilor added that the administrative cycle will end within the scheduled time.
Toti meets the councilors and spreads propaganda from under house arrest: “Liguria Region is a solid and virtuous body”
Alessandro Bozzano (Let’s change with Toti as president) illustrated the Severino law and noted that Giovanni Toti, although suspended, is still in office. The councilor responded to the hypotheses put forward by some minority councilors about a split within the centre-right coalition by replying that the opposition would have been displaced by the united reaction of the majority around the president of the council Giovanni Toti.
