Italian municipal councils clash over port expansion and dam project

The municipal council of Sant’Agata di Militello voted against establishing a commission to investigate the town’s port reconstruction, despite opposition councilor Giuseppe Puleo’s claim that the project’s budget has swollen from €48 million to roughly €68 million and that an additional €11 million was requested for “complementary works” on a potentially unstable dock. Mayor Bruno Mancuso responded, “I am a doctor, not a technician,” and said he would seek legal advice, while Puleo announced he will file a complaint with the judiciary.

In Puglia, regional councilor Antonio Tutolo announced an audit of the Palazzo d’Ascoli dam, saying, “Ho invitato tutti i parlamentari e i senatori della Puglia alla prossima audizione…”. He warned that ten wind‑turbine generators of the San Potito wind farm intersect the dam’s future reservoir, threatening a vital water‑security project. Tutolo called for coordinated political action and said he would present a proposal at the hearing scheduled for 19 June.