The Government has chosen Massimo Ferrarese, 61, from Francavilla Fontana (Brindisi)entrepreneur, politician, former president of Confindustria Brindisi and sports manager, which Extraordinary Commissioner for the 2026 Mediterranean Games in Tarantoon the recommendation of the Minister for the South Raffaele Fitto. The decree of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers motivates the appointment with the need to provide for the “Timely implementation of the interventions necessary for the performance of the Mediterranean Games”.
“The right man in the right place – declared the regional councilor of the Brothers of Italy Renato Perrini – I welcome with great satisfaction the appointment of Massimo Ferrarese as extraordinary commissioner of the Mediterranean Games. The choice of Minister Raffaele Fitto fell on one of the most important political-business personalities of our Region. A respectable resume which saw Ferrarese at the service of the institutions, but also of the territory. Successful building contractor, he left his mark he is like president of the Province of Brindisiand as president of Confindustria di Brindisi”.
“From the top of his political-entrepreneurial experience, enriched also by the presidency of Invimit – added Perrini – will be able to give that acceleration needed to realize the great sporting event that the city of Taranto expects, also thanks to the passion that Ferrarese has for sport having held the position of patron of the New Basket Brindisi. Furthermore, Ferrarese is a great connoisseur of the whole of Salento, therefore of the whole territory that will host the Games. Ferrarese will be able to count on the support of Fratelli d’Italiabut I hope all the ruling and political class around him will be able to team up, without exception, convinced as I am that even those who have managed the Games so far are ready to collaborate to make Taranto and Taranto win”.
“It is news – commented in a note the mayor and president of the Province of Taranto Rinaldo Melucci, president of the Organizing Committee – whom we welcome and who comfort us on the Government’s willingness to continue along this path. We are ready to collaborate, trusting in the recognized qualities of Ferrarese as an entrepreneur, politician and administrator, so that the master plan that we have so diligently elaborated can be concretely implemented, also thanks to the financial endowment already prepared”.
The mayor confides: “That this appointment will trigger a further economic commitment by the national executive, which in the Games must see, as it is already clear to us, an opportunity for a restart for the entire South and in particular for Taranto, certainly not a simple sporting event. Furthermore, from a first reading of the nomination decree, it is clear – added Melucci – that the Taranto 2026 committee remains a central element in the organization of the Games, a structure with which the commissioner himself will have to deal quarterly and with which he will have to define the planning of the works infrastructure needed, the first act of his mandate”.
Regional councilor Vincenzo Di Gregorio (PD) also spoke on the commissionership of the Mediterranean Games in Taranto: “I wish Massimo Ferrarese a good job and I hope that his appointment as commissioner of the Mediterranean Games will allow us to reach the 2026 appointment having achieved all the objectives envisaged as host nation. The Taranto Games are, in fact, an important showcase for the country as well as an opportunity to relaunch the Ionian territory. A challenge that is won or lost all together and that for this requires maximum institutional cohesion”.
“In technical-administrative and authorization terms . Di Gregorio specified – the three years that separate us from the start of the competitions I’m time restricted. The work of Commissioner Ferrarese, a capable person with great practical sense, will not be easy. But it doesn’t start from scratch. Ferrarese, in fact, will be able to rely on the financial endowment already allocated by the Government and on the master plan of the works to be carried out. In any case, while waiting to know in detail what the perimeter of its action will be, maximum collaboration must be guaranteed because, as already reiterated on previous occasions, everyone’s main concern must be to carry out the works and carry out successfully the demonstration”.
At the same time, however, the Puglia Region intends to raise the question of legitimacy before the Constitutional Court with respect to the decision of the Meloni government which appointed a commissioner, Massimo Ferrarese, for the organization of the Mediterranean Games in Taranto.
This was announced by the head of the Cabinet of the Puglia Region, Giuseppe Catalanothrough a letter addressed to the head of the administrative coordination department (DICA) of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.
The concrete hypothesis of the commissioner for the organization of the Mediterranean Games, scheduled in Taranto in 2026took shape in mid-March when the ministers of European affairs, cohesion and Pnrr, Raffaele Fitto and of sports Andrea Abodi wrote to the Organizing Committee, which also includes the Region and Municipality of Taranto, expressing “concern” for “the delay accumulated in the planning activity”.
The ministers had highlighted “critical issues” and argued that there were not “sufficient elements for updating the Dpcm scheme containing the identification of the works to be carried out”. This “lack” risked “compromising the timely start of the interventions in time for the Games to be held”. The provision on the commissioner was not in the initial text of the Pnrr decree. It was inserted with an amendment presented by the senators of FdI.
The reaction of the Puglia Region was immediate, which had highlighted that the government could not commission itself, since he is a member of the committee. On 14 April, the assembly addressing the Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026 also met, chaired by the president of the Puglia Region Michele Emilianoto approve the 2022 final balance and to reiterate that “No delays or omissions by the Mediterranean Games Steering Committee were noted”.
Therefore, upon the announcement of the appointment of the Commissioner by the Government, the president of the Puglia Region issued a note: “The outcome of the examination by the regional Attorney’s office revealed the constitutional illegitimacy of the rules that unexpectedly ordered the commissioning of the Mediterranean Games, eliminating any form of collaboration with the Puglia Region for the choice of interventions to be carried out in our territory”.
“The Commissioner is not blocked from any appeal before the Court – specified Emiliano – and can continue his work. However, in the spirit of sincere cooperation that should inspire all those involved in this affair, I hope that the Government will amend the hastily passed legislation as soon as possiblebecause the implementation of infrastructural interventions that will irreversibly transform our territory cannot disregard the need for institutional collaboration with local authorities”.
(gelormini@gmail.com)
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