Mayor of Cesena in the trenches: “First, don’t forget. And then complete the works”
Cesena, 13 May 2025 – The mayor of Cesena (and president of the province of Forlì-Cesena) Enzo Lattuca has made the allocation of resources to cope with the reconstruction after the tragic flood of 16-17 May 2023 a vital reason for the administrative action in the first and second mandates.
Mayor Lattuca, what does the celebration of the second anniversary of the catastrophe suggest to you?
“The need to remember those days and how we worked hard to get out of them. The city is preparing to experience a series of events proposed by the Municipality entitled 'A river of people'. During these days we will also take stock of the restoration and safety interventions planned, started and, in many cases, already carried out by the municipal administration on the damaged road infrastructures”.
What works have been created?
"These are structural and naturalistic interventions that have affected the hilly territory and restoration work on public buildings hit by water and mud. We have used government funding through commissioner ordinances and donations from citizens and businesses for the interventions not covered. On the insurance side, we are among the Municipalities that have already closed the game. But it is not over, we must continue the work".
It's not over for what?
“There is still a lot of work to be done and it is keeping our offices busy. This is the case of the restoration work on the hills with landslides to be fixed and all the interventions that, to date, have not been financed. In particular, the non-deferrable works concern hydraulic and hydrogeological safety. In the meantime, we have started the works on the Savio river and the construction sites financed by the Pnrr”.
What are the essential works?
"I'm not talking about trunks and foliage to be removed, the problem is much more complex. Faced with the rainfall that now habitually generates huge damage every week throughout Italy, caused by climate change, we need to create protection systems near waterways".
He was not gentle in his judgment on the actions of the funding body, the Government.
“At the beginning the Government hesitated, there was the delayed appointment of the extraordinary commissioner and Fratelli d'Italia tried to exploit the flood issue for the municipal elections, then the regional ones. A boomerang”.
The Hon. Buonguerrieri maintains that the Emilia-Romagna Region should self-criticize on prevention works.
"All the resources that have been allocated have been used in a short time. The citizens have verified this. We will not stop, even in asking for other resources. We are satisfied with how the work is proceeding but not sitting down".
To structurally solve the problem of regional interventions, the Hon. Buonguerrieri still stings, a center-right administration is needed.
“Yet another example of how Fratelli d’Italia never misses an opportunity to exploit such a serious issue as the flood for propaganda purposes.”
Mayor Lattuca, what is the image of the flood that you will never forget?
“The dawn of reconstruction with the industrious city in the midst of the mud”.
İl Resto Del Carlino
