Former Ilva steelworks: Taranto mayor 'won't sign the program agreement'

Taranto Mayor Piero Bitetti, following the recommendations of the majority group leaders, announced "his opposition to signing the program agreement proposed by the government for the former Ilva steelworks in Taranto." The majority group leaders "deem it unnecessary," they said in a statement, "to convene the City Council in the coming days, as the agreement as drafted is flawed and lacks guarantees for the city." The mayor is being asked not to sign the agreement, and a new program agreement is being proposed that would provide for complete decarbonization within five years. Bitetti is calling for the adoption of a special decree law for Taranto.

At the Ministry of Mitigation, sources at the Ministry of Mitigation expressed "astonishment at the umpteenth cancellation of the Taranto City Council, which was scheduled for August 11th, as agreed upon by the institutional body. It is irresponsible to continue to postpone any decision, disregarding the commitments made. This violates the constitutional principle of loyal cooperation between state bodies, putting tens of thousands of workers at risk." This is what sources at the Ministry of Mitigation stated regarding "the press release from the majority of the Taranto Municipality announcing the cancellation of the City Council scheduled for the 11th, which was supposed to make decisions—as announced several times, including at institutional level—regarding the interinstitutional program agreement for the full decarbonization of the former Ilva steelworks."

"The Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, in agreement with the relevant local authorities, has convened a meeting to finalize the Interinstitutional Program Agreement for the full decarbonization of the Taranto plant. The meeting will be held in person in Rome on Tuesday, August 12, at 11:30 a.m., at the MIMIT headquarters." This is according to a statement from the ministry.