Taranto leaders call for national pact to manage industrial crisis

The city of Taranto is facing a significant industrial and economic crisis linked to the Ex Ilva site, prompting calls for unified political and structural action. Mayor Piero Bitetti has proposed a ‘National Pact for Taranto’ to prevent the city's future from becoming a subject of electoral conflict. Bitetti emphasizes the need for a common line among political forces regarding industrial, environmental, and employment choices to avoid the cycle of empty promises and social disillusionment.

Simultaneously, Fabio Greco, president of CONFAPI Taranto, has warned that the crisis extends far beyond the immediate industrial supply chain, threatening the entire city's economy. While acknowledging government efforts to provide temporary income support—such as zero-hour redundancy funds scheduled from October through February 2027—Greco stressed that the region must not become dependent on welfare. He is calling for an organic and stable framework of interventions to support industrial diversification and protect the professional capacity of the workforce during the transition.