The long wait. The Regional Administrative Court reserved the right to decide on the request for “suspension advanced by the municipalities of Cosenza And Castrolibero and by the committees for the “no” to the referendum set for next December 1st.
The judges listened to the reasons of the appellants, represented in the courtroom by the lawyers Gualtieri and Liparoti (committees of It makesPiazza e Rolli (municipality of Cosenza), Esposito and Celotto (Castrolibero), Barberio (Bruzi committees). The regional councilors of the centre-right majority, promoters of the original proposal for the creation of the Single City, appeared as defendants in the proceedings (among them Piefrluigi Caputo of Forza Italia and Luciana De Francesco of Fratelli d’Italia) represented by the lawyers Achielle and Oreste Morcavallo and the president of the regional council, Roberto Occhiuto, assisted by the lawyers of the regional attorney’s office Falduto, Greco and Ventrice.
The TAR could already communicate its decisions today. Among the promoters of the judicial initiatives launched against the popular consultation are the mayor of the capital, Franz Caruso and the former socialist parliamentarian, Sandro Principe, former first citizen of Rende. While awaiting the decisions of the judiciary, the “Yes” committees set up by the Democratic Party and coordinated by Giacomo Mancini are planning a series of meetings as are the associations and civic groups close to the centre-right and in favor of the merger between the three municipalities. The parliamentarians Simona Loizzo (Lega), Alfredo Antoniozzi FdI), Mario Occhiuto (FI), Nicola Irto (Pd) declared themselves in favor of the creation of a large municipality in the urban area, as did the regional councilors Mimmo Bevacqua and Franco Iacucci (Pd ), the provincial secretary of the Dems, Vittorio Pecoraro. The Cinquestellòe Movement, on the other hand, preferred not to give indications to its supporters, as stated by the regional spokesperson, Anna Laura Orrico (MP).
On the opposite front, on the “no” side, initiatives are underway. This afternoon at the “Royal” a public demonstration will be held which will see the participation of Battista Sangineto, Nadia Gambilongo, Sergio Nucci, Franco Salatino, Francesco Intrieri and Paolo Veltri. The meeting, promoted by the associations “Giardini di Eva” and “Mediterranea Media”, will be moderated by the journalist Filippo Veltri.
From Rende the “Community in direct participation” makes its voice heard through spokesperson Carlo Rinaldo. The “Community” believes it is essential to have a «buffer period with the step of the Union of Services, a less sudden approach, with bottom-up decisions and awareness of what is chosen, more debate and expansion of the same to fully involve the population by broadening the participatory space. Decision-making is positive, and in this regard the dynamic and competent action of the Regional Council is appreciable” claims Rinaldo “but on purely administrative management issues. It is right that the people decide on this issue of the Fusion. We prefer not to kill the patient, the Municipality, with the euthanasia of fusion, but to treat him with the medicine of union, much less leave him in agony without doing anything. Move forward as the Region suggests but with more gradual steps and with decisions made by citizens.”
