Puglia officials defend 2026 bathing season dates amid political debate

A political debate has emerged in the Puglia region regarding the 2026 bathing season ordinance. Nicola Gatta of Fratelli d’Italia criticized the regional administration, arguing that setting the official season between May 23 and September 13 penalizes the local tourism economy by limiting guaranteed activity to a few months.

Raffaele Piemontese, the regional assessor for Infrastructure and Mobility, responded by stating that the dates follow national legislation (Decree-Law 73 of 2025, converted into Law 105 of 2025). He clarified that the September 13 deadline refers only to the minimum mandatory period for services and does not force the closure of beaches or establishments.

According to the ordinance, authorized facilities may continue bathing activities safely and maintain bar and restaurant services throughout the year. Additionally, water quality monitoring by ARPA Puglia is scheduled to continue from May 1 through September 30.