"I will submit a parliamentary question regarding the 'diplomatic tourist tour' of US Ambassador Tilman Fertitta, who is cruising the Italian coast aboard the Boardwalk, a 117-meter-long private megayacht with a displacement of over 5,000 tons and an estimated value of approximately $450 million." This was announced by AVS MP and co-spokesperson for Europa Verde, Angelo Bonelli, who noted that "from Civitavecchia to Naples, Vibo Marina, Palermo, Cefalù, Gallipoli, and Bari, up to the announced stops in Venice, Trieste, Genoa, and Sardinia, the yacht is accompanied and guarded by naval units of the Guardia di Finanza and the Port Authority-Coast Guard, helicopters, and Italian police personnel."
"This isn't just assistance, but a massive maritime security and police deployment. The police orders also specify that the ambassador is the recipient of a protection measure corresponding to the first level of risk, provided by specialized personnel from the Rome Escort Unit," Bonelli emphasizes, asking, "Why should the security of a US ambassador sailing on his private megayacht be guaranteed by Italian naval and air assets with Italian state resources? Why aren't American security forces being deployed? How many men and equipment are being taken away from territorial and coastal control? And how much is all this costing Italian citizens?"
"The situation is even more serious given the planned arrival in Venice, a fragile city already under enormous pressure, especially during the Redentore festival," adds the AVS co-leader, urging the government to "clarify what agreements it has made with the American Embassy and send the bill to Trump." "Italy cannot become a free escort for the US ambassador's private megayacht," concludes Bonelli.
(Unioneonline)
