The call is signed by Gruppo25 Aprile, Venessia.com, Viva San Marco and the City of Mestre
Concerning the referendum for separation (of Mestre and Venice), a growing number of associations are calling on the Region to clear the way for a fifth consultation. The provision is already on the agenda of the Regional Council meeting and will be discussed with the return of a spot that will put up for consideration the two proposals rejected by the Institutional Affairs commission presided over by Marino Finozzi: the first is a popular initiative for the separate autonomy of Venice and Mestre presented in 2014 with a petition of 9000 signatures, and the second, a plan for the law signed by the Lega’s regional councilor Alberta Semenzato to dived the city in three parts, Mestre, Marghera and Venice. In sum the process is ready to get to the point, and since the business of the fifth referendum has been marked by false starts and false hopes, the associations have written an appeal to the Region.
Along with the promoters, Autonomy Movement of Mestre and Two Great Cities, are also Gruppo 25 Aprile, City of Mestre, Venessia.com, Viva San Marco, and other groups will soon join, announced the autonomist lawyer of Mestre, Stefano Chiaromanni. The document lists five reasons for which, according to proponents, it is right to proceed to a vote. First, because democracy is fundamental to the Republic and the its exercise via a direct referendum allows the citizens to express their will unequivocally; in the second place, the spin-off of the capital is an essential condition for the direct election of a Mayor for the Metropolitan City; furthermore, while it is true that this would be the fifth time, it is also true that over time people change their opinions and even those who were against autonomy, today may not turn against it. Finally, the savings: two smaller Cities would cost 6 million less and would permit the definitive abolition of the Municipalities (which in fact have already been emptied by Mayor Brugnaro) with another 53,000 euro in minor savings each year.
The ball passes now to the Lega, an autonomist party par excellence that in the Region has always valued the referendum enough to bypass the negative opinion of the juridical office to put a political point on the question. That is, and remains, the designation of Venice as the metropolitan capital, for which the Delrio law gives different procedures for referenda: the consultation of the City and voting from all the voters of the 44 Cities in the province.
Source – Corriere del Veneto Jan-12-2016
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