UDINE. Even Friuli Venezia Giulia mourns the president of the Council of State Franco Frattini, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Public Administration and former European Commissioner for Justice, who died at the age of 65 after battling an illness.
From the former governor of the Fvg Renzo Tondo to the mayor of Gorizia Rodolfo Ziberna to the senator Francesca Tubetti, the memory of a capable politician who is attentive to the needs of the regional territory emerges.
“I am saddened to learn of the death of former Foreign Minister Franco Frattini – declared Tondo -. I had met him at the headquarters of the Council of State in Rome just over a year ago. He was not yet ill and we pleasantly chatted about the Fvg Region which had elected him to Parliament twice ”.
On 16 September 2008 Frattini, who had also collaborated in drafting the Round-Berlusconi Pact for Friuli Venezia Giulia, visited Friuli Venezia Giulia for the first time as a minister: the objective was to strengthen the Government’s attention towards the Northeast and enhance the specialty regional .
“Frattini – continued Tondo – has always paid great attention to our region, which he considered strategic for Italian policy towards central-northern Europe. With him our Region loses a friend, a man of the institutions, an important point of reference”.
As a Friulian deputy of the Mixed Group and belonging to the “Noi con l’Italia” party, last winter Tondo, preparing for the elections for Colle, which began on January 24, had indicated Frattini as an alternative name to that of Silvio Berlusconi ” a person who has all the political and legal qualities to aspire to the highest office of the state” he commented.
His contribution to the European Group of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) of Gorizia is fundamental. “Thanks to him Gorizia at the center of Europe. It was February 2012 that the EGTC of Gorizia took office, presided over by an authority, a man who with his work gave Italy a new way of conceiving European policies.
It was Franco Frattini – said Senator Francesca Tubetti, of the Brothers of Italy -. “Franco Frattini marks the history of the city in Gorizia and lays the foundations for that encounter between peoples that will be celebrated with the capital of culture – observes Tubetti -. His was not a facade presidency, it was a constant work together with the mayor Ettore Romoli, together managed to make known the concept of Gorizia as the center of Europe and no longer a border city; they both leave us an important legacy of great responsibility but equally great honor. Our condolences to the family and loved ones”.
“Franco Frattini – claimed the mayor of Gorizia Rodolfo Ziberna – was a great friend of Gorizia.
Even after his presidency of the EGTC, he remained close. A man of law but also of the institutions, he has been able to combine his knowledge of him in a refined way. The town will miss him, Gorizia will miss him.