" What is important is to understand that Sardinia is now capable of making its voice heard. I believe that the outcry that there was to defend the prerogatives of our mobility was important. Sardinians have the right to mobility and to see such important resources taken away on provincial roads, therefore on contexts that directly affect our communities, was and was unacceptable."
President Alessandra Todde rejoices after the announcement of the availability of the Minister of Infrastructure Matteo Salvini to restore the 350 million in funds cut by the Milleproroghe decree for the maintenance of provincial roads . "I am happy that the minister realized that it was not a viable path - she added on the sidelines of the session of the Regional Council - I am happy that our voice was raised loud and clear".
" We welcome the national government's decision to restore funds for the maintenance of provincial roads, with an allocation of 350 million euros for 2025 and 2026 cut by the Milleproroghe decree ", the words of the councilor for Local Authorities and Urban Planning, Francesco Spanedda. "We hope that the restoration of the allocations will also extend to the years after 2026 - continues the councilor -, an appropriate step back that marks a first step in the right direction and restores breathing space to territories that have been penalized for too long by road networks in critical conditions and by a progressive marginalization of large area authorities ".
"We hope that this signal will not remain isolated, but will represent the beginning of a broader change of pace: it is time for the Provinces to be put back at the center of public policies as strategic intermediate bodies, capable of carrying out a fundamental function of connection between the Region and Municipalities, especially in internal areas ", continues the councilor. "The Provinces, if strengthened in the design offices, in the single contracting stations, in the structures supporting digital transformation, in the Europe Offices, can contribute to promoting the growth of territorial investments. In Sardinia - underlines the councilor -, provincial roads are a substantial element of landscape construction and of relations between urban centers. They innervate our territory which is made up of many centers distant from each other. They therefore represent the backbone of internal connections, essential to guarantee access to services, work and economic development. Their maintenance is not only an infrastructural issue, but a key element to ensure equal opportunities for all citizens of the Island ".
«Sardinia, with its complex territorial articulation, needs operational Provinces, equipped with resources and recognized in their institutional role, to guarantee cohesion, services and local development», concludes Spanedda.
Salvini's U-turn came on Tuesday after the meeting at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. After the controversy over the cuts, the Ministry of Transport specified that there is "full availability" to restore the old resources for the Provinces for the year 2025 during the conversion phase of the infrastructure decree. But it warned that local authorities "will have to respect strict deadlines" to demonstrate their actual spending capacity and "avoid resources being lost". "The new accounting rule," Salvini explained, "provides that the money that Giorgetti gives me, I pass it on to local authorities but if it is not spent, it comes back".
(Online Union)