I Taranto Mediterranean Games 2026 – 275 million in public contributions, a tragicomic preparation which, in comparison, the Milan-Cortina Olympics are almost an organizational success – resemble more and more the game of goose: every time the start of construction seems to get closer, we start again from the start. The latest blow to the hopes of being ready for the big event, scheduled for June 2026, comes from Consultation: the Court ruled in favor of Puglia region and declared unconstitutional the provision with which the Meloni Government, and in particular the minister Thickcentralized and commissioned the Organizing committee. It means that we need to redo the law and so do the decrees to announce tenders. Another delay that accumulates with the delay, at this point irrecoverable.
In February 2023 the government had decided to place i Mediterranean Games: behind the choice, the objective delay in which the organization found itself, with the inertia on the part of the entities localsbut also the desire of Minister Fitto to get your hands on a great event that will move 275 million financing on his dear Puglia, and perhaps take revenge on the historical rival Emiliano. In May the entrepreneur was appointed commissioner Massimo Ferraresewhich in recent months has picked up the thread of the organization and was now preparing to finally start the competitions for the most important worksfrom the renovation of Iacovone stadium to the new swimming hall. However, the Region never digested that affront: it resorted to the Cut constitutional. And she won. According to the judgesin fact, the government has actually invaded the subjects of competence regionalsuch as the sports system and the realization of infrastructure. The appointment of the commissioner is legitimate, therefore Ferrarese remains firmly in his place. Instead it is wrong procedure with which the decision-making procedures were advocated in Rome: in particular, the article which provides that the work program is adopted with a simple decree interministerial, “after hearing” the Region; given the system and the principles regarding subsidiarity, a simple opinion is not enough for the Court, a real and proper understood with the Region. Therefore the law is unconstitutional.
The responsibilities are evident, because on measure rejected by the Council there are the signatures of half of the Meloni governmentand in particular of the ministers Fitto and Abodi, who wanted it. “The sentence confirms once again how this government has totally inadequate ministers,” attacks the senator Mario Turcovice president of 5 Star Movement originally from Taranto, who will present a question. The mess is sensational: essentially nothing would have changed, even with the agreement in the event of a disagreement the government would have the final say; but for the haste of to be in charge and humiliating the Region now risks blocking everything once again. THE interministerial decrees with the final work programs they were on the table of the Minister of Economy Giancarlo Giorgetti, ready for signature: at the beginning of next week Ferrarese would finally announce the tenders. Instead now they will have to go back in Puglia and be discussed again with governor Emiliano, who will once again have a say in the matter. First, it will obviously be necessary to modify the article rejected by the Consultation. More time will be lost, at least a month is feared, when just one more day would now be fatal. The commissioner Ferrarese at this point he openly explains that the works will hardly be ready forinauguration. Then there is the risk that no one will show up for the tenders, with such short times and zero margin for error it is not convenient for companies, a bit like what happened in Milan-Cortina for the bobsleigh track. A problem that also affects the government subsidiary “Sports and Health”, which should take care of the works on the stadium and had already been pragmatic in underlining the timescales necessary to complete the work. To the Mediterranean Games less than a year and a half left and to Taranto there is nothing yet.