Thousands of people took part in a
march in Bari on Saturday to show solidarity with Mayor Antonio
Decaro after the interior ministry launched an inspection of the
Bari municipal administration for possible mafia infiltration.
The central government's move, linked to a judicial probe into
alleged political-mafia electoral deals in the 2019 local
elections in which Decaro was re-elected for a second term,
could lead to the dissolution of the city council.
Decaro, a member of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), has
lived under police escort since 2016 due to his anti-mafia
activity in the Puglia regional capital.
He has said would ditch his escort if even a whiff of wrongdoing
touched him or his administration.
He says the move by the centre-right central government is
linked to June's local elections in the city.
"This is a wonderful response by the city, for the city," Decaro
told the rally entitled 'Hands Off Bari'.
"It is a response to those who think they can use the city for
their electoral campaign and it is, above all, a response to
those who say that Bari is being blackmailed by the mafia
"This city is no longer being blackmailed by anyone, neither by
the mafia nor by politicians, because the city has become better
every day over the last 20 years, with hard work every day.
"It has risen up, it has grown, it has recovered its dignity.
"Today it is proud to be what it has become
"You don't trample over a city just for electoral calculations,"
Decaro added.
"You don't trample on the history of the people of Bari because
you are afraid of losing an election campaign that you have been
losing for 20 years, because they (the centre-right) have never
had a project for the city".
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
