BARI – «We did not ask for the dissolution of the Municipality of Bari, the gesture of the local parliamentarians was to ask the Minister of the Interior for clarity». This was said by the deputy minister of Justice, Francesco Paolo Sisto, on the sidelines of the press conference called in Bari by the group leader of Forza Italia in the Senate, Maurizio Gasparri, after the controversy that arose following the decision of the Interior Ministry to send the access commission to evaluate the existence of mafia influences within the Municipality of Bari.
“We wanted to ask what happened – added Sisto – to avoid, as has often happened, that anyone might think that an episode of this kind could go unnoticed”. Sisto clarified that «Bari, and the people of Bari that we represent and have represented, have the right to know the truth».
GASPARRI’S COMMENT
«Legality is urgent, I tell Emiliano. It’s always urgent. If legality has been respected we will all be happy.” This was said in Bari by the group leader of Forza Italia in the Senate, Maurizio Gasparri, during the press conference called following the controversy raised by the appointment of an access commission to evaluate the existence of mafia influences within the Municipality of Bari, ordered by the Interior Ministry after a meeting with center-right Apulian parliamentarians. The reference is to the statements of the governor of Puglia on the timing of the investigation, three months before the elections.
«The facts we are talking about are these – added Gasparri referring to the Bari DDA investigation called Internal Code -. There are laws and regulations that must be applied. We’ll move forward. We don’t carry out investigations, which concern the State, but we don’t want to prevent them either. We consider what happened to be very serious.” Gasparri added that the choice of the centre-right mayoral candidate for the June local elections in Bari “is underway and will be made regardless of the results of the commission’s investigation, which will take months”. “We are faced with a determined and unscrupulous power complex – he explained – therefore the competition must take into account a habit of power that sometimes also decides the primaries of others”. As for the possibility of nominating magistrate Stefano Dambruoso, Gasparri highlighted that “we are investigating various hypotheses, we don’t know what decision he will take but we cannot decide based on these facts alone”.
«There have been exaggerated controversies about our initiatives which at times have taken on an acting dimension. It wasn’t clear whether it was a film or an Italian comedy with tears and tears, with the tricolor sash to put on and take off, with insults.” The leader of Forza Italia in the Senate said this in Bari, Maurizio Gasparri, during the press conference called following the controversy raised by the appointment of an access commission to evaluate the existence of mafia influences within the Municipality of Bari, ordered by the Interior Ministry after a meeting with Apulian parliamentarians from the centre-right. The reference is in particular to the press conference of Mayor Antonio Decaro, organized two days ago.
«We have been compared to Gomorrah – he added – it is something more ridiculous than threatening. We are tackling the situation on the basis of a principle of guaranteeism which does not make some immune from administrative checks and judicial investigations.”
«I saw the performance with the tricolor sash and the employees clapping their hands – Gasparri recalled -. I don’t know if the tears were sincere. I saw the insults to us and to the parliamentarians of Bari, I myself was mentioned in relation to some fiction, when the interpreter of the fiction seemed to be the protagonist of this drama”.
«I saw – continued Gasparri – that yesterday there were demonstrations of absolution that had already issued edicts, tomorrow there will be processions and parades as if it were an early Easter of resurrection, when no one died. It’s a bit of a ridiculous campaign.”
NO ONE WANTS TO OFFEND CHEATS
«This story that we are attacking Bari is not good. I’m not from Bari, the friends who are by my side are. Nobody wants to offend a city just as nobody offends Rome if there are phenomena of degradation or Casamonica, or Naples for the Camorra.” This was said in Bari by the group leader of Forza Italia in the Senate, Maurizio Gasparri, during the press conference called following the controversy raised by the appointment of an access commission to evaluate the existence of mafia influences within the Municipality of Bari, ordered by the Interior Ministry after a meeting with center-right Apulian parliamentarians.
“We believe – he added – that this affair of the municipal company Amtab is serious and sensational and this is where we started”. Gasparri highlighted that «the insults that the party companions of the mayor of this city (Antonio Decaro, ed.) have directed at Minister Piantedosi are truly incredible. Matteo Piantedosi has no party membership, he was the appreciated prefect of Bologna and Rome, he was head of cabinet of the Ministry of the Interior and is now Minister of the Interior. He is neither naive nor reckless and does not make political decisions. He has made access commissions in Municipalities of various kinds and some were dissolved without looking at the color of the administrations, given that they were also centre-right”. Gasparri clarified that “it is not written in the Constitution that where Decaro and the Democratic Party are present, an investigation or verification cannot be carried out, there is no immunity”.
«We have had other municipalities dissolved in the past due to events involving companies linked to the administration. This company (Amtab, ed.) is 100% controlled by the Municipality of Bari, which is the sole shareholder.”
«I understand – added Gasparri – that for some years the mayor of Bari has had a delegation regarding these companies. So the connection is there and the commission will therefore carry out its checks.” “We believe – he added – that the reaction was exaggerated, as was the national extension”.
“The fact that some local politicians elected in one context have moved elsewhere is an aggravating factor for me because transformism, an old political virus that has afflicted the world for centuries, is serious.” The reference is to the former municipal councilor of Bari, Maria Carmen Lorusso, arrested as part of the Internal Code investigation, elected from the centre-right ranks and then passed into the current centre-left majority.
«There are – added Gasparri – forms of expansion of local power that attract people who, elected from one party, end up in another. Transhumance is a manifestation of power. In this Region we have seen people go looking for civic lists Municipality by Municipality, when instead it was necessary to deal with Xylella”.
«There is no self-attribution of the anti-mafia certificate, which is a tool that exists. We do not want to release it to anyone and we believe we deserve it with our personal conduct. We hope that others can earn it on the pitch and not stamp it on their own.”
Referring to the current municipal administration of the Apulian capital, Gasparri added that «they give explanations instead of issuing threats on one side or receiving premature blessings on the other. We do not allow ourselves to be silenced by anyone and, being guaranteeists, we do not issue sentences of conviction or acquittal between one demonstration and another. It’s not that if someone fights the mafia he can’t be distracted in managing his territory.”