The preliminary hearing for the investigation into the environmental disaster caused by Ilva began this morning at the fire brigade barracks in Taranto. There are fifteen defendants, including the Riva Fire holding company, who have presented a request to postpone the trial for environmental incompatibility, due to the excessive pressure to which the Taranto judges would be subjected. Requests to appear as a civil party at the hearing, on the other hand, fluctuate between seven hundred and eight hundred.
To represent the Municipality of Taranto is the lawyer Luca Perrone, who will present a request for compensation of 10 billion euros. In addition to the municipality, Legambiente, hundreds of homeowners in the Tamburi district, some environmental and city associations, confederal trade unions, the Municipality of Statte, the Puglia Region and the ministries of Environment and Health present themselves as civil parties.
The charges against the 49 defendants and the three companies on trial are criminal association, environmental disaster, food poisoning and willful omission of precautions against accidents at work. Among the defendants, in addition to the leaders of Ilva, there are the names of some politicians, among which stands out that of the Region Nichi Vendola and that of the mayor of Taranto Ippazio Stefano, accused of abuse of office for not having acted against the pollution caused by the steel mill plant.
