The concerns of Civil Protection Councilor Rosanna Laconi, representing the Region, and the response of Undersecretary Andrea Delmastro.
The minutes of the December 18th meeting of the State-Regions conference on the possibility of prisoners under the 41-bis regime in Sardinia are out: " I understand the need to ensure that those under the 41-bis regime enjoy the conditions, which are naturally necessary for adequate reception, like all other prisoners within the various Italian prisons," Laconi stated. " What we fail to understand, and we as the Sardinia Region are extremely concerned, is first and foremost the problem about which we were not involved at all. It's true that this is a report, but the Regions were not involved. In particular, the Sardinia Region, despite having made several requests—I understand the President made several requests for meetings— has never been consulted on the matter."
"As the Sardinia Region," says Laconi, " we are moving away from the idea of an island seen as a prison island ," and today "we absolutely do not agree that insularity should be seen as a punishment."
"In Sardinia, there are already 41 bis inmates, because we host them. The prison population is already suffering," but " we have absolutely no healthcare facilities capable of responding to this increase in the prison population." As a doctor, Laconi continues, "I've experienced what it means when a 41 bis inmate enters a hospital, enters an emergency room, and everything comes to a standstill. The Sardinia Region is not in a position to accept, to support, such a burden ."
Undersecretary Andrea Delmastro responded: "I understand the concerns," but "there are also reasons of national security, which clearly meant that a project on Article 41 bis had a secretive start. Obviously, from now on, we will have extensive discussions with the Sardinia Region."
"Currently," Delmastro emphasizes, "in Sardinia, there are already 41 bis units in three institutions. The difference is that, at this time, these 41 bis units are in mixed networks, posing risks not only to national security, but indeed to the entire system, because exfiltration is easier . Where there are dedicated institutions with only the GOM Mobile Operations Groups present, that is, a specialized unit specifically trained to observe and deal with 41 bis units, I believe we actually add security ."
"We tell the truth, and as the philosopher Galimberti said, the truth is becoming subversive," commented Alessandra Todde on the sidelines of the presentation of the America's Cup preliminary regattas in Cagliari , speaking of the minutes, which "recall the only institutional context in which I can engage with the government and which confirms what has been said: three prisons—Uta, Bancali, and Badu 'e Carros—completely dedicated to Article 41 bis, with numbers and prospects that are terrifying for Sardinia. So what we need to do now is for all political parties to take responsibility, abandon their colors, and start defending their own land."
"I believe what needs to get across is a message of Sardinian unity, a clear message that Sardinia is a land of development ," he added. "We're seeing it today with this event and with what we're managing to achieve, including in terms of economic investments and prospects. We don't deserve to be considered the Cayenne of Italy."
Todde announced that he had asked Regional Council President Piero Comandini to give an urgent briefing to the Sardinian assembly. "It's time to hold accountable those who spoke of alarmism and of the central government's differing positions. Because the central government has been absolutely consistent: what it said is what it is doing," he concluded. " Others seem to live in another context, on another planet, perhaps on Mars: let them land in Sardinia ."
(Unioneonline/D)