Alarm bells have been raised following the Senate's approval of Amendment 19 to Decree Law 156/2026, a legislative change that risks reducing protections for UNESCO sites and areas of particular archaeological and landscape value . This worrying prospect has prompted the mayor of Paulilatino, Domenico Gallus, also in his capacity as national deputy secretary of the Sardinian Action Party, and lawyer Michele Zuddas of the Bentu de Libertadi-Pratobello 24 Committee, to choose a highly symbolic location, the Nuragic complex of Santa Cristina, to launch an appeal and preview the themes of the demonstration scheduled for October 30th in Cagliari's Piazza del Carmine. The appeal will urge the Regional Council to immediately examine and approve the Pratobello 24 popular initiative law.
The fear is that the new regulatory framework could further pave the way for the construction of energy plants near archaeological and environmental sites of extraordinary value , compromising a heritage that represents one of the island's greatest treasures. "The news is that an amendment has been approved regarding sites like Santa Cristina and, more generally, the archaeological and environmental riches of Sardinia," declared Mayor Domenico Gallus.
"This measure," he added, " risks further exposing our territories to potential speculative activity. Santa Cristina is one of Sardinia's most renowned jewels, and as administrators, we have a duty to protect it. We strongly reiterate our opposition to the proximity of wind turbines and any development that could alter the identity and landscape value of our most important sites." The mayor then announced his participation in the initiative by the movement born around the Pratobello popular law proposal.
"In Cagliari, we will meet with those who promoted this proposal and together we will evaluate all the democratic forms of participation, mobilization, and protest that can be deployed to counteract the effects of this law." Regarding the scope of the amendment, lawyer Michele Zuddas of the Pratobello 24 Committee described it as a new attack on the protection of Sardinia's cultural heritage. "We are here to denounce yet another attempt to weaken the protection of our archaeological and cultural heritage through national legislative changes," Zuddas explained. "What is concerning is the political direction emerging from this choice, which views archaeological and cultural heritage as a limitation rather than a resource. We therefore draw attention to the state of the regional law proposal, currently stalled in the Fourth and Fifth Commissions of the Council ."
Hence the request for a rapid review of the text by the regional assembly. "The Pratobello popular law," Zuddas stated, "remains the main legislative instrument of safeguard and represents the only concrete alternative to the inertia of regional institutions. Despite having been signed by over 210,000 Sardinian citizens, it remains effectively stalled."
