Mattarella in Niscemi: "Let’s work together"

The President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarellavisiting Niscemithe municipality of Nisseno seriously affected by landslide movements last January. A visit decided to express the closeness of the institutions to a community that counts approximately 1,500 people evicted along the so-called “red zone“.

The agenda of the Head of Statedefined by the local authorities as short but intense, opened with a helicopter flyover on the area of breakdown to observe the extent of danni. Subsequently, the President reached the main square, home to the Town Hall, where he met the representatives of the law enforcement agenciesof the Fire Brigade and of Civil Protection engaged in the management ofemergency.

The inspection in the red zone and the point on the interventions

Accompanied by Head of Civil Protection and extraordinary commissioner, Fabio Cicilianoand from mayor Massimiliano Conti, Mattarella carried out a inspection up to the lookout, on the edge of the forbidden area. Precisely coinciding with the visit, the payment of the first courses was started 78 contributions of approx 800 euros per familyintended for nuclei whose house was found to be inaccessible.

The meeting with citizens and displaced people

During the meeting with i citizens they displacedthe President listened to the testimonials of those who have lost theirs casa. A resident, whose home is located close to the front of the brakereported the conversation he had with the Head of State: “The president Sergio Mattarella he told me ‘let’s work together’. I told him that my house is 20 meters from the edge of the landslide and that I lost everything. My home, my identity, my personal effects. He gave me a lot courage. It was an immense emotion.”

The reassurances for the architect Palumbo

Words of reassurance they also arrived for the architect Roberto Palumbowhose building collapsed in the days following the event of January 25th: “I am still emotional – said Palumbo – the president told me ‘We are thinking of you’. The fact that they have allocated 150 million euros It’s already a step forward for us.”

The meeting with the students and the message to the institutions

A significant moment of the morning took place at the “Mario Gori” school complexwhich currently hosts the students of the “Salerno” comprehensive institute, declared unusable. The head teacher, Licia Salernounderlined the President’s attention towards the little ones: “At first I could hardly believe it. We learned it this morning. I have a lot of respect for our president and I was certain that he would come to visit us. It was a great emotion. Always very humble, he was close to us. He directed his attention above all to the children. He asked us how they are, how we are helping them, what we have done and what we are doing to make this moment as peaceful as possible. He told us good job, keep going, he complimented us on everything we’ve done so far.”

Mattarella’s message to citizens

Addressing directly to citizens who had to abandon their own case, Mattarella declared: “I know it is difficult in these conditions, I understand it. Here was your life, there were your affections. We are here and we are working to Niscemithat’s why I came here to show that the support if it stays high.”

The request to the mayor

Before leaving the municipality, the Head of State he addressed a specific question solicitation al Mayor Conti: “Work, work and above all work for the younger ones.”

The comment of the mayor Massimiliano Conti

“I tried a lot emotion – commented the mayor Massimiliano Conti – when I knew it was coming President of the Republic. The highest office in the state wanted to see this with his own eyes tragedy and he wanted to give to the city and above all to the children a very important message. We are happy. We have a lot Work to do and we know that institutions They are at our side.”

The conclusion of the visit

At the end of the visit, the President Mattarella he left for Palermowhere in the afternoon he is expected at Teatro Massimo for the ceremony dedicated to IX Day of pride in belonging to the Bar.