Moments of tension in front of Palazzo Chigi, with the mayors of the South, led by the governor of Campania, Vincenzo De Luca, blocked by the police who prevented them from entering Piazza Colonna, where the government is based. The first citizens of the South are in Rome for participate in the demonstration against differentiated autonomy and for it unlocking of cohesion and development funds. In chorus, while President De Luca tried to get to the entrance of Palazzo Chigi – the only one who was allowed to overcome the police cordon – they shouted “Fascists, fascists” and chanted “Bella ciao”.
But one had been held shortly before vitriolic exchange of words at a distance between the premier and the governor of Campaniathe latter very critical of the government’s actions, reo – according to him – of having stolen resources important in the South. “I must thank the regional presidents”, said the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, speaking from Calabria where he is for the signing of the Agreement for the Development and Cohesion Fund 2021-2027. “Everyone understood the meaning of what we are doing – underlined Meloni – there was a huge collaborationeveryone is collaborative except one That he’s not very cooperative the current state. Respect for goodness sake – he added -, it doesn’t surprise me too much if you look at the 2014-2020 programming cycle 24% of the expenditure is spent. If instead of holding demonstrations we got to work perhaps we could obtain some more results”, commented the prime minister.
De Luca to Meloni: “Str… you work”
“Melons? Without money you can’t work. Bitch, you work“, is the governor’s response to the prime minister’s words spoken at Palazzo Madama, where he went after finding Palazzo Chigi boarded up. Together with two mayors from Campania, De Luca stopped on the Transatlantic to converse with some journalists, describing the demonstration and complaining about it not having been received by anyone in the ministries.
“We have arrived in front of the Ministry of Cohesion, where they are workaholics: there was no one, There wasn’t the minister, there wasn’t an undersecretary, there wasn’t an official who was playing tennis. They pushed us, then they said that a delegation could go up, but there was no one above. Then I went towards Palazzo Chigibut one police barrier blocked us. They said only the President could go, so I went. But at Palazzo Chigi, Mantovano wasn’t there, there was no one. This is how they treat the mayors of Campania.
We had warned them that we would come for 12 days.”
“When the rules are violated – continued the president of Campania – democracy is at risk. They do this against Campania which it is the region with the greatest social suffering in Europe. Without money you can’t do programming, cultural enterprises can’t do programming.” When asked whether in his opinion there was a personal element towards him or a political element, De Luca replied: “It has nothing to do with left and right. It has to do with the fact that the Campania it is a Region that it doesn’t bend. All we have left is the social battle, hoping that it will be enough.”