Poste Italiane calls over 4.000 mayors to Rome for the second edition of Mayors of Italy, the meeting with the first citizens of communities with less than 5.000 inhabitants. In the large hall of the Nuvola by Fuksas at EUR, the most beautiful villages in Italy parade - from Camilleri's Vigata to Guareschi's Brescello - through their mayor-warriors (as they define themselves) called to the challenges of digitalisation, modernization and innovation. “Promises kept", is the answer that Poste Italiane launches a year after the first meeting in Rome and recalls that: no post office has been closed, 1 central office has been created to support small Municipalities, 5.688 wi-fi spots have been installed in 5051 Municipalities, 3.751 new mailboxes have arrived in 2.383 Municipalities, 614 new Postamat ATMs have been activated in as many villages, 574 architectural barriers have been eliminated, 3793 video surveillance systems positioned in 1.662 Municipalities and 219 post offices strengthened in 211 tourist municipalities. In all, so far, Poste has managed 14 interventions in the area in 2019.
THE CHARGE OF THE 4.000: WHAT THE MAYORS ASK
The atmosphere is festive, almost like a school trip, but that's not all. The mayors proudly display their tricolor bands but also make concrete requests: both to the Post Office, which is becoming their privileged interlocutor; and in the government, lined up in full force with Prime Minister Conte (welcomed with a few boos outside the congress building) and as many as six ministers (Boccia, Catalfo, Franceschini, Gualtieri, Pisano and Provenzano). "Almost a Council of Ministers" underlines the minister Paola Pisano.
What are mayors asking? "The post offices, it is true, have remained open but in some places they are open too little, every other day", say a group of mayors of the small mountain towns of the Bergamo valley as they enter the Nuvola. "It would be necessary - they continue - that at least where the opening hours cannot be extended, there was at least one ATM to operate and withdraw". "Our problem, in the mountain towns around Sondrio - explains another mayor - has a problem: the delivery of the Post which sometimes arrives with delays of up to two months". There is no shortage of mayors from the South, mayors in the trenches such as Francesco Agnello di Villafrati (Palermo) or Michele Di Maio who arrives from Irpinia, who have come to tell us how life is lived in these border areas. Mayors grappling with the digital divide but above all with the tsunami of depopulation (as one of them defined it).
This is the crux of the matter that Antonio Decaro, president of the Anci, takes up and raises again. “Depopulation is an avalanche that threatens to overwhelm us. It is not just our problem but that of all Italian citizens because it means not being able to safeguard castles, churches, cultural heritage as well as the hydrogeological structure of the country. The beautiful villages scattered throughout the country preserve the history of Italy, its identity, its excellent food and wine productions”. Another request: “It is not possible that in small municipalities there are no i general secretaries. So the mayors are too alone”. Finally, a claim that goes to the heart of the three thousand mayors: “How many times – asks Decaro – have you had to anticipate expenses out of your own pocket? We ask for 1.500 euros in compensation, a minimum fee to enhance the work done by the mayors". The mayors underline their sense of loneliness and acknowledge, through Decaro, the role of the Post Office in keeping the promise not to close unproductive branches since, he recalls, "the post office and the police - concludes the Anci president - testify to the presence of the State on the territory".
THE CHARGE OF THE 4.000: WHAT THE GOVERNMENT RESPONDS
The government assured its attention to local realities and thanked the Post Office for keeping its commitments in territories where, Prime Minister Conte recalled, 10 million Italians live, 4 of whom are of working age while 1 million are younger of 15 years. Non-marginal realities in which 92% of Made in Italy food and wine products are produced. The Economy Minister Roberto Gualtieri immediately accepted the request for a minimum economic emolument. “Part of the resources recovered in the maneuver will be destined – he said – to support the disbursement of an indemnity to the mayors of small Municipalities. Poste's commitment not to close post offices was not easy or obvious and should not be seen only as a business plan but as a strategic and forward-looking operation to maintain jobs and contribute to development". On the plate, recalls Gualtieri, the maneuver puts a Fund of 3,5 billion for local authorities which allows the immediate use of loans in direct assignment and which will be distributed by reserving a share for small municipalities.
THE CHARGE OF THE 4.000: THE COMMITMENT OF THE POST
Matteo Del Fante, CEO of Poste, closes the day dedicated to the strong mayors - towards them - of having "saved" 12.800 post offices from closure. “We are aware of the strategic importance of the Post Office's widespread presence: our company shortens distances, facilitates relationships, I would say that it is a sort of intermediary between the different areas of the country. The time has now come to take a new step, enriching the initiatives carried out”. Here then is the relaunch with 15 new commitments for small Municipalities, which welcome in advance some of the requests made in the Roman meeting: the launch of financial and digital education programmes; Free POS to Municipalities for digital payment services; the use of "green" means for mail delivery; the installation of "lockers" in Municipalities without a post office, to simplify parcel delivery operations and payment of bills. And again the installation of digital technology smart mailboxes: another 3.000 will be installed in small Municipalities; activation of information services for citizens; the creation of new philatelic events to better enhance the traditions and realities of the territory. See you next year.
