Mayor Stefano Lo Russo today welcomed Prime Minister Mario Draghi together with the governor of Piedmont Alberto Cirio, who arrived very punctually at the Civic Palace at 3 pm to sign the “Pact for Turin”, which will bring three billion euros of interventions on the Piedmontese capital. On the occasion of the premier’s expected visit, various protests have also begun in the city since the morning. In front of the Municipality, in Piazza Palazzo di Città, and in front of the Piedmont Region, in Piazza Castello, the No Vax and Eurosceptics respectively arrived, as well as taxi drivers on strike since yesterday against the competition bill.
The speech of Prime Minister Mario Draghi
“You Turin people, especially the younger ones – said the premier – have shown that you know how to reinvent your city in a more supportive, more sustainable direction. Of wanting to work in innovative industries – where “progress dominates, where beauty shines”, as Adriano Olivetti said. You have repeatedly managed to have a positive and concrete impact on public policies. To you from Turin, I make an appeal: continue to unite your minds and dedicate your enthusiasm to these goals. The next few years must mark the beginning of a new experimentation ».
The pact for Turin: here is the speech of Prime Minister Mario Draghi in the Town Hall
What does the pact for Turin provide?
The pact for Turin is an agreement signed between Palazzo Chigi and the Municipality of Turin, which lights up a twenty-year line of financing for the municipal coffers, in exchange for which the Civic Palace is also committed to economic interventions. Thus, only for the current budget (in deep red: the city is the most indebted in Italy with 3800 euros per capita), Rome gives 70 million euros and Turin puts another 28. Total resources for 2022 – about 100 million – will be used for the recruitment necessary for the relaunch of the administrative machinery, for the payment of interest on the debt and to meet the expensive energy. But not only. In the funds for the restart, Rome will make 1.2 billion available in twenty years, more than half destined for the green revolution and the ecological transition. Another 202.9 million will have to support cohesion and social inclusion interventions. Turin – which is committed to reducing debt and strengthening collection activities – will also receive funds to upgrade schools and services and 43.7 million for building and environmental redevelopment interventions in Vallette, Borgo San Paolo and the Porta Palazzo area. .
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Lo Russo’s speech
«This administration – says Mayor Lo Russo – has undertaken intense and hard work. An administrative machine to be rebuilt, a financial situation on the verge of collapse, management methods of the processes to be re-founded “. The mayor then highlights that “we are committed as never before to reduce territorial, generational and gender gaps, accelerate the digital and ecological transition, improve and strengthen all the services that qualify the city” The goal is “to create the conditions best to relaunch the economy and boost productivity, simplify bureaucracy to facilitate workers and businesses, strengthen infrastructure and foster innovation “.
“The pact – underlines Roberto Garofoli, Undersecretary of State to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers – is a contract for the prudent management of spending and implementation of reforms in a renewed climate of collaboration”.
The protest of the no vax
In terms of protests, the hottest spot in the morning was in front of the town hall, with the leader of the anti-vaccine camp Marco Liccione. Along with him a few dozen people, kept under control by an impressive array of police in riot gear.
Tensions arose when the no vax were asked to leave the town hall square. Initially, the police tried to clear the square peacefully, up to the entrance to via Conte Verde. Here the situation has degenerated. Throws of bottles and a large firecracker towards the riot departments, together with a long series of shoves, provoked the reaction of the police, who rejected the demonstrators by pushing them back with their shields.
Turin, no-green pass protesters contest Draghi’s visit: shoving with the police
Clashes in Turin during Draghi’s visit, the leader of the No Green Pass Marco Liccione rescued
The leader no vax Liccione accused an illness, or was pushed: the fact is that he ended up on the ground and an ambulance was called as a precaution. “They gave me a punch and a club,” he said, although numerous witnesses in the square say they have not seen a single truncheon stand up.
Italexit and Paragone, taxi drivers and cobas
In Piazza Castello, on the other hand, a garrison of Italexit, one of the most hostile political groups to the current government, was convened with the presence of the national leader, Gianluigi Paragone, for a rally.
In the square, alongside the supporters of Italexit, the no green passes and taxi drivers. Which was joined by the Communist Refoundation, to say ‘no to the government of war and the high cost of living’, and the Cobas.
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maximilian worse
Students in the procession
Another protest on the day of Draghi’s visit is that in front of the Rai in Turin, in via Verdi. A few dozen students met there in the garrison, and then left in procession through the streets of the center. Among them were some of the acronyms that had animated the student protest in February, as well as some Askatasuna militants. “For charity, misery and mourning, you will pay dearly you will pay everything”, the slogan of the demonstrators.