Amatrice, appeal to the government: 'You must not abandon us

Today is a day of remembrance and pain. But also of unanswered questions and appeals to the government: 'We feel the need for your presence and your concrete closeness,' writes the mayor of Amatrice, Giorgio Cortellesi, to the Prime Minister. Until the very end here, as in the neighbouring villages of Accumoli and Arquata del Tronto - destroyed by the tremor on 24 August eight years ago that killed 299 people - they had hoped to be able to tell Giorgia Meloni in person about the needs and fears of this corner of the Apennines, which struggles with depopulation faster than reconstruction. They had made this clear when we met them for the 18 August report in Il Sole 24 Ore.

There will instead be the Minister of Sport, Andrea Abodi, to represent the executive in the official commemorations. Together with him, the undersecretary at the Ministry of Enterprise, Fausta Bergamotto; the head of Civil Protection, Fabio Ciciliano, the commissioner for reconstruction, Guido Castelli, as well as local institutions. In an open letter to the premier, the mayor put down on paper priority issues: "The establishment of a round table to deal with the issue of emergency housing structures, owned by the Civil Protection; definitive rules to give certain deadlines for reconstruction; bringing back the hotel school cycle. And above all, a special economic zone in the worst-hit areas,' Cortellesi emphasises, agreeing with what businesses are strongly urging. A Zes, with 'tax relief for companies that work or want to invest here and measures for young couples. A choice,' explicitly challenges the first citizen, despite his political closeness to Meloni, 'that should have been made from the very beginning.

The mayors of Amatrice, Accumoli and Arquata complain of 'being a crater within a crater', compared to the rest of central Italy affected by the 2016 earthquakes. And that is why they demand more attention than the other territories. To them, to the entire community of these villages, commissioner Castelli will today first of all bring 'the State's apologies for the too many false starts and accumulated delays', as he had anticipated to 'Il Sole-24 Ore', but also the encouragement 'not to lose faith' in the face of the 'change of pace'. The numbers from the commissioner's structure say that as of 31 July, for private reconstruction in the entire large crater of the 2016 earthquake, there were 31,786 requests for contributions submitted for damaged houses or warehouses, amounting to 14.5 billion. Almost 9 thousand have been submitted in the last two years, for about 7 billion. 20 thousand applications have already been authorised.

With regard to public works, on the other hand, it is estimated that 3,500 interventions are needed for a total of 4.2 billion. Numbers to which must be added those of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti disbursements for works already completed: 4.8 billion. All figures that tell of a recent 'acceleration' in reconstruction, assures the commissioner who claims 'finally a global vision'. However, the historic centres of Amatrice, Accumoli and Arquata del Tronto remain red zones. And it was only on the eve of this eighth anniversary that the last rubble was removed. Of all this, the inhabitants hope to be able to speak in person directly with the premier as soon as possible.