Abruzzo mountain towns lose aid as 27 communes excluded

Deputy Luciano D’Alfonso criticised a decree signed by Minister Calderoli that removed 27 Abruzzo mountain municipalities from a special funding regime for interior areas. He warned the exclusion could jeopardise essential services, including the ability to keep small‑town schools open, agricultural tax relief and incentives for primary‑care doctors. The loss of mountain‑town status may trigger higher land‑tax burdens for farmers and reduce support for rural health coverage, deepening depopulation trends in the region. D’Alfonso announced plans to reopen the debate and urge regional centre‑right elected officials to seek a formal revision of the decree to prevent the affected communes from facing financial and social collapse.