Terlizzi municipality disputes Coldiretti Puglia over migrant reception plans

A dispute has emerged in Terlizzi regarding the use of the Mercato dei Fiori, a major floriculture hub in Southern Italy, for migrant reception. Coldiretti Puglia has formally opposed a municipal resolution to allocate two wings of the facility to the regional ‘Puglia Accoglienza’ project, which aims to provide residential space for approximately 80 migrant workers.

Coldiretti Puglia argues that repurposing parts of the 10,000-square-meter market could weaken a strategic economic district that supports over 500 companies and 300 operators. The association maintains that protecting worker rights and preserving productive infrastructure are not mutually exclusive and calls for alternative locations that do not impact the market's capacity for innovation and competitiveness.

The Terlizzi municipal administration has responded by denying that any productive space will be reduced or lost. Officials state the project seeks to secure 4.5 million euros in regional funds to renovate and complete two sections of the market that are currently unused or in a state of decay. The administration claims the intervention will transform abandoned areas into a multifunctional space to provide structured reception for seasonal workers during the months of November, December, and January without affecting ongoing market operations.