(ANSA) Bari, February 19 - The Forza Italia provincial
coordinators and regional deputy coordinators in Puglia resigned
Thursday in an apparent 'revolt' against former premier Silvio
Berlusconi's party leadership.
The resignations followed the decision by Berlusconi to
appoint Luigi Vitali as a special commissar to run the regional
branch of the conservative party that has been in disarray since
his conviction for tax fraud.
"In this way we spare the commissar the job of evaluating
our level of fitness, freeing the field by the side of Raffaele
Fitto for a real reconstruction of the party and the country,"
the senior party officials who quit said in a joint statement.
The officials who resigned included Antonio Distaso, Roberto
Marti, Riccardo Memeo, Luigi D'Ambrosio Lettieri and Luigi
Perrone.
Puglia Forza Italia chiefs quit in revolt against Berlusconi
Resignations after Berlusconi appoints commissar