The city council continues to stall on the controversial Zanklon operation, for the construction of three student residences in the city. Today under discussion was the first project presented by the company of the entrepreneur Natale Giostra (and already financed by the Ministry of University and Research with the Pnrr for almost 10 million euros), the one called “Policlinico” which involves the construction of 504 beds in Minissale, with buildings in derogation from the Master Plan (6 floors instead of 5, approximately 3 thousand cubic meters). Project against which the president of the second Municipality, Davide Siracusano, expressed himself just this morning. And after a long debate, at the key moment the quorum failed, thanks to a general stampede (from 25 present to 15, reduced to 13 after an hour) which cannot be considered random.
The Chamber will meet again tomorrow, therefore, when lower numbers will be enough to reach a final vote.
The debate, up to now, has mainly seen the Democratic Party as protagonists, particularly active, with councilors Felice Calabrò and Alessandro Russo, in pressing the general secretary and the Urban Planning director with technical questions, and the Fratelli d’Italia group. There were moments of political conflict, especially with the majority leader Pippo Trischitta.
The deputy mayor Salvatore Mondello, however, clearly had his say: “I brought this resolution to the Council as a necessary action, if I had had to make this proposal as an administration, I say it sincerely, I would not have done it”. A political position that concerns the entire operation worth over 36 million euros, which still leaves the game open today even for the two most controversial projects, those called “Centro” (255 beds in via Catania) and “Archimede” (1,080 beds behind the high school in Viale Regina Margherita).