A special law for the Phlegraean Fields, with clear procedures and financial instruments capable of ensuring the ongoing management of bradyseism. This is the proposal relaunched by the Mayor of Naples and the Metropolitan City, Gaetano Manfredi, at the end of the meeting at the Prefecture chaired by Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi.
"The issue of the special law is very significant. As Roberto Fico rightly said, we must understand that bradyseism is not an extraordinary event," Manfredi stated. "If an earthquake occurs, that emergency must be addressed, but bradyseism is a continuous phenomenon."
Hence the need, according to the mayor, to build an administrative and financial system that allows local institutions to intervene continuously. "The best thing is to pass a special law with well-defined procedures that will then help administrations act promptly in times of crisis," he added.
During the meeting, the minister was also presented with proposed amendments to the decree law approved by the Council of Ministers on August 7, a few days after the magnitude 4.7 earthquake of July 31.
Manfredi described the process as positive and highlighted some priorities that have emerged from the experience of recent months. Among these is the problem of small building defects, which can currently impede access to funding for the repair of damaged properties.
"We must find a way, as was already done for both the earthquake in Central Italy and the events in Ischia, to overcome this obstacle," the mayor explained.
The other issue concerns speeding up the procedures for obtaining funding for building repairs. The idea is to establish a regional steering committee, with the goal of speeding up interventions. "The resources are there, at least for now, and it's very important that we proceed quickly to ensure people can return home," Manfredi emphasized.
The Phlegraean communities are now appealing to Parliament to expedite the process of converting the decree into law and approve the proposed amendments.
"I believe that never before has a bipartisan approach been needed when tackling such significant issues," Manfredi concluded. "This is not the time for division or controversy. We simply need to do things that are helpful for people. There are so many people out of their homes, so we need to ensure they can return home safely and quickly."
