Giorgia Meloni and Ursula von der Leyen return to Emilia Romagna eight months after the flood that devastated the region last May. And they do it to say together 'mission accomplished': thanks to the revision of the Pnrr “one billion two hundred million will be allocated for hydraulic defence, for the restoration of roads and road infrastructures, for the restoration of the public residential building stock, health and social structures public health, schools and sports infrastructures”, underlines the Prime Minister.
Meloni: “Thanks to Von der Leyen, important results”
“I want to thank President Von der Leyen who returns after the last visit a few days after the floods eight months ago, returns with important results built together in recent months – said Meloni, visiting Forlì with Von der Leyen -. When we were here together he brought European solidarity but also his commitment not to leave these lands alone. The fact that she is here today, again, is a symbol of seriousness and concreteness for which I believe all citizens should thank her.”
The Pnrr resources for the flooded areas, he explained, “in addition to guaranteeing the safety of the areas exposed to hydrogeological risk, will also allow us to carry out environmental recovery actions, mitigation of the effects of climate change, guaranteeing a higher level of control , flood risk management”.
“With these resources we do reconstruction, but also something equally importantmore important if we want – he remarked -, which is prevention with respect to any further events of this nature”.
Von der Leyen: “Excellent cooperation with Italy”
The “cooperation” between the European Commission and the Italian government during the floods that hit Romagna last spring was “excellent. We managed to review the Next Generation Eu plan, the famous Pnrr. It was a success, we have now dedicated 1.2 billion euros specifically for this region“, said von der Leyen satisfied.
“It is very moving for me to be back in Emilia-Romagna, because I remember very vividly the visit last year, in May. I will never forget the devastation caused by these horrible floods. What I remember most – he continues – is an enormous quantity of mud. Mud, mud everywhere, and debris floating. But I also remember, just as vividly, a phenomenal solidarity: men, women, children working together, helping each other, comforting each other and cooking for each other.”
“I remember – he adds – this fantastic 'piadini bread' (the Romagna piadina, ed.). I still remember its scent: it was still warm and showed a lot of the feelings that people shared”. At this point Meloni joked, observing that von der Leyen's words “sound like a request”. And the president: “I've already had something from the mayor (of Forlì, ed.), I'll take the next 'piadini' away.”
The protest of the flood victims
Meloni and von der Leyen were also welcomed in the central Piazza Saffi, in Forlì, by a sit-in of around a hundred flood victims demanding concreteness. 'The walkways do not help reconstruction' – we read on some signs – 'with your times we won't screw it up'. The sit-in gathers around a hundred people.
“For now we have only had promises, we haven't seen anything – says Mrs Gioia, silver hair and a few bright locks -. It's true the people of Romagna know how to roll up their sleeves and do it on their own, but here we also need refreshments because there 'It's a big inconvenience, people don't know what to do. We need money but also rules that facilitate the restart“.
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