Calabria and Sicily among the stops on Fertitta’s tour in Italy. Bonelli, the government should clarify the escort to the US ambassador’s mega-yacht

«I will present a parliamentary question on the ‘tourist-diplomatic tour’ of the American ambassador Tilman Fertitta, who crosses the Italian coasts on board the Boardwalk, a private megayacht 117 meters long, with a tonnage of over 5 thousand tons and an estimated value of around 450 million dollars. From Civitavecchia to Naples, Vibo Marina, Palermo, Cefalù, Gallipoli and Bari, up to the announced stops in Venice, Trieste, Genoa and Sardinia, the yacht is accompanied and monitored by naval units of the Guardia di Finanza and the Harbor Masters’ Corps-Coast Guard, helicopters and personnel of the Italian police forces. It is not simple assistance, but an impressive maritime security and police device.” Angelo Bonelli, Avs MP and co-spokesperson for Green Europe, stated this in a note. «The orders of the Police Headquarters also specify that the ambassador is the recipient of a protection measure corresponding to the first level of risk, ensured by specialized personnel from the escort department in Rome. Added to this are the measures of the Port Authorities, which have closed off entire stretches of sea to navigation, parking, anchoring, bathing and fishing. In Le Castella, Calabria, a body of water with a radius of one nautical mile was closed for two days. Why should the safety of a US ambassador sailing with his private mega-yacht be guaranteed by Italian naval air assets with Italian state resources? Why aren’t American security apparatuses used? How many men and vehicles are removed from control of the territory and coasts? And how much does all this cost Italian citizens? The matter is even more serious due to the expected arrival in Venice, a fragile city already subjected to enormous pressure, especially during the Redentore. The government should clarify what agreements it has made with the American Embassy and send the bill to Trump. Italy cannot become the free escort of the US ambassador’s private megayacht”, concludes Bonelli.