Former Ilva site: the mayor of Taranto says, ‘It is unusual for Arvedi to seek the community’s consent first’

The group Arvedi has yet to set out his proposal for the former Ilva site, and Taranto is already divided. Apart from the fierce opposition on social media from those who have always been against the factory and those on the City Council proposing a citizens’ referendum, Mayor Piero Bitetti has expressed concern over Giovanni Arvedi’s statement that he will make the progress of his project contingent on the consent of the city, institutions and the community. The mayor told *Il Sole 24 Ore*: ‘As I am not familiar with the content of the project proposal submitted by the Arvedi group, I reserve judgement. In any case, it seems rather irregular to make an offer, formulated under a public tender procedure, contingent upon the opinion of the institutions, or even the community. Not to mention that the country’s industrial policy is a direct and exclusive competence of the Government. ‘I can imagine that this initiative responds to a need for reconciliation that this region requires,’ notes the mayor of Taranto, ‘but it does not seem to me to be the right approach. It would be more useful to offer the region a feasible and sustainable project. And we shall see whether Arvedi’s proposal is truly such a project.’

“The first assurance we are asking of whoever wins the tender launched by the Government for the former Ilva site is the protection of workers and employment levels, on the understanding that any development project on the Taranto site will have zero environmental impact – Antonio Decaro, President of the Puglia Region, told *Il Sole 24 Ore*. “We now hope that the Government will carry out its assessments as soon as possible because Taranto deserves answers and, above all, deserves prospects for the future.”

Salvatore Toma, president of Confindustria Taranto, points out that ‘we have been saying for some time now that the region needs to change its approach and narrative. And this is not because Arvedi or any other operator is asking us to do so. It goes without saying that anyone wishing to invest does not want conflict or hostility, otherwise we will not even be able to get sustainable and green projects off the ground here. And there have been several such proposals put forward.”
As for the tender, Toma observes that ‘it is certainly positive that there are two proposals at this very delicate stage. We welcome both. We are very pleased that Italia is involved; we have always hoped for this. Now we need to examine the bids and see which of the two offers the best guarantees’.

According to Nicola Convertino, president of Aigi, the association representing the former Ilva supply and subcontracting sector, “Giovanni Arvedi is a top-class entrepreneur and we hope the State will take a stake in the operation. We have always hoped for an Italian investor backed by the state. Furthermore, it seems to me that wherever Arvedi operates, he is well-liked and well-received, not least because he is extremely attentive to social issues. It’s just that Taranto is a very challenging city. This will therefore be a litmus test, because if we are held hostage to radicalism, everything then becomes a political tool. It means that this battle will never come to an end. Nor will there even be any chance of developing industry. So – argues Convertino – the fact that Arvedi has stated he will go ahead if the city wants him to is undoubtedly positive. It’s a message I would send too if Arvedi were to arrive. It is, in any case, an overture to the city, and the message is: ‘I’ll do my bit, but if you’re against it from the outset, honestly, why should I bother?’”

As for Arvedi’s proposal, Convertino points out: “Two electric furnaces would enable us to limit the drastic reduction in the workforce. The more people we can employ, the better. And with two furnaces, Taranto would continue to play a role in the steel industry.”