The opposition benches are creaking: Left ecology and freedom wakes up with its secretary and founder accused in the trial on harmful emissions of Ilva, while in the 5 Star Movement 5 other parliamentarians leave.
Cyclone Ilva also brings the president of the Puglia region Nichi Vendola to court. The prosecutor of Taranto has requested the indictment of the leader of SEL, accused of extortion in competition with Girolamo Archinà, former manager of institutional relations of the steel plant, Fabio Arturo Riva, former vice president of the Riva group, Luigi Capogrosso, former director of Taranto iron and steel plant and Francesco Perli, group lawyer.
According to the investigations, in 2010 President Vendola put pressure on Giorgio Assennato, director general of Arpa, the regional agency for the environment, now accused of aiding and abetting. The governor allegedly threatened him not to confirm his position as director of the agency in order to "soften" ARPA's position on the harmful emissions of Ilva in Taranto. A total of 53 suspects go to trial: 50 people and 3 companies.
Problems, among the opposition benches, also for the 5 Star Movement. Grillo kicked out of the movement the 5 senators who had resigned in protest against the expulsion of 4 colleagues.
“They have isolated themselves and cannot continue to be official representatives in the institutions. Alessandra Bencini, Laura Bignami, Monica Casaletto, Maria Mussini and Maurizio Romani, are out of the M5S ”, writes Grillo on his blog.
“The senators elected as spokesmen of the M5S have tendered their resignations from the Senate and officially presented them to the President of the Senate Piero Grasso – continues Grillo in the post – This gesture was not motivated by particular personal, family or health situations, as usually occurs in these cases, but as a political gesture in open conflict and contrast with what is required by the territory, established by the assembly of parliamentarians of the M5S, confirmed by the founders of the M5S and ratified by the registered members certified on the Network, regarding the four expelled senators ". The four were Luis Alberto Orellana, Francesco Campanella, Fabrizio Bocchino and Lorenzo Battista.
The comments of those who have been expelled are ironic. “Highlanders! You and Roberto will stay. Excellent proof of democracy”, writes Lorenzo Battista on Twitter. And then Tommaso Campanella on Facebook: “Five more of us fired from Beppe Grillo. Eventually they will have difficulty organizing a trump.”
