Change at the top of reconstruction after the 2016-2017 earthquake in Central Italy: the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni signed the Dpcm for the appointment of the senator of the Brothers of Italy Guido Castelli to new commissioner. The provision must now pass the scrutiny of the Court of Auditors before publication.
Castelli, 57, a lawyer and former mayor of Ascoli Piceno, will replace John Legnini, whose mandate, which began on 14 February 2020, expired on 31 December. Legnini, who has imposed an acceleration of the reconstruction works after years of stalemate, should in any case remain in office with an extension until 14 February. Instead, he will keep the post of commissioner for the reconstruction of Ischia after the 2017 earthquake.
Already a few days ago the institutional representatives and the citizens’ committees of the earthquake-stricken areas of Central Italy had expressed concern for the future of the commissioner structure. The mayor of Norcia Nicholas Alemanno, representing the Anci Sisma 2016 coordination booth and all the mayors of the crater, had written to Prime Minister Meloni: “You will certainly be aware of the immense work that the coordination booth led by Commissioner Giovanni Legnini with the presidents of the four Regions and the four mayors representing the four regional Anci, have carried on since the first months of 2020”, reads a passage of the letter. “We take the liberty of expressing our concern in considering a change of governance at the top of the commissioner structure”.
Bishop of Norcia: “Not confirming Legnini is a slap to the people”
Disappointment for the decision also taken by the bishop of the Spoleto-Norcia diocese, mgr. Renato Boccardo: “The non-reappointment of Giovanni Legnini at the helm of the commissioner structure for post-earthquake reconstruction is a slap in the face to the people affected by the earthquake. I have nothing against the new commissioner, whom I don’t know – he explained – but I believe that the operation is the daughter of a wicked and low-level policy that goes over people’s heads”.