The “G20 beaches”, the summit that brings together the tourist municipalities that overlook the sea with a capacity of over one million inhabitants, closes today in Riccione. The event this year was open to all 334 Italian locations and not just to the 26 mayors who make up this body.
We must “ask the state – says Roberta Nesto, mayor of Cavallini-Treporti, coordinator of the G20 beaches – to recognize that we are accordion cities and we need adequate tools”. More. “A contribution from everyone is needed in this very particular moment”, echoes the first citizen of Riccione Renata Tosi who then adds: “There is a lot of uncertainty”, she adds, regarding the current crisis in Ukraine.
But the issue of bathing concessions could not fail to be touched upon, indeed it appeared central in many debates. In fact, the representatives of the lifeguard category are also present at the event who, once again, criticize the amendment to the competition bill which dictates very short times to get to the races which, if there are no changes, must be carried out by 2023, so as decided by the executive “forced” to definitively apply the European Bolkestein directive.
“The government has a duty to defend the bathing system”, the representatives of the category continually repeat, already struggling in these days with the preparations for the start of the season, which is very full of uncertainties. The Italian system is made up of “tens of thousands of companies, for the most part family-run”, underlines Antonio Capacchione, president of Sib Confcommercio, who presses for a step back on the bill deemed “unacceptable” in particular in terms of lack, to his say, of real protections for outgoing operators.
The crucial issue is also represented by the times: the Italian municipalities are already grappling with the PNRR projects in recent weeks, it is difficult to think that they will be able to organize and manage the competitions in so few months. The risk is that of a “wild liberalization”, underlines Mauro Vanni, president of Confartigianato bathing companies, without “taking into account the history and culture of our country”.