The first round of interrogations on the Ceccano case. Silence dominates. The cascading reflections on the Province. Which solve a problem for the mayor of Frosinone and for FdI
There are three floors. On the investigative one, the investigation The Good Lobby on the ring of bribes to pilot the contracts of the Municipality of Ceccano financed with EU funds records the first round of interrogations. Silence reigns.
Silence for now
Roberto Caligiore (Photo © Stefano Strani)
The former mayor is silent Roberto Caligioreunder house arrest since last week: he was the first to appear before the Judge Ida Logoluso accompanied by his lawyer Paolo D’Arpino. The lawyer explained that Caligiore he exercised the right not to respond: given the amount of documents, the large number of attachments and the limited time available, there were still no elements to be able to provide answers. D’Arpino nevertheless underlined the full and complete availability of the patient to evaluate being able to be heard at a later time.
Interview also for the engineer Stefano Polsinelli. Assisted by lawyer Sandro Salera he chose a line identical to that of Caligiore: he exercised the right not to respond. However, he denied all charges and also reserved the right to be heard at a later date after having examined all the investigative documents. It was then listened to Elena Papettiassisted by the lawyer Riccardo Masecchia: she also asked for more time and attached a memorial in which she reiterates the regularity of her participation and therefore of the deeds that resulted from it. Then it was the turn of Frank Ruggiero with the lawyer Armando Pagliei.
On Wednesday at 10am it will be the entrepreneur’s turn Danilo Rinaldi, owner of four companies which, according to the accusations, received contracts exclusively and then passed bribes to technicians and judges. The entrepreneur will be assisted by his lawyer Gianpiero Vellucci.
The step of resignation
The letter of resignation
Then there is the other level: the administrative one. Last night at 8.41pm the municipal administration of Ceccano has lapsed following the resignation en masse of 12 municipal councilors. The mayor also fell with them Roberto Caligiore who had been suspended by the prefect Ernesto Liguori. (Read here: Caligiore 2 finished at 8.41pm).
The surprising fact is the total, unanimous, unanimous distancing of the team from its mayor: no one said a word towards him. The investigations will tell if Roberto Caligiore was a lonely man when he was mayor, he certainly was afterwards. (Read here: Top and Flop, the protagonists of Tuesday 29 October 2024).
While the judicial and political evaluations of the entire criminal affair that hit Ceccano will be the responsibility of the competent offices, the aspect that is of interest here is the provincial authority. Indeed, Caligiore, in addition to being mayor, was also a provincial councilor of Frosinone: elected in 2023 on the list of Brothers of Italytogether with Alessandro Cardinali and Andrea Velardo. Now he will take over his place in the Provincial Council Sergio Crescenzimunicipal councilor of Frosinone and first of the non-elected Brothers of Italy.
With the entry of Crescenzi to the Province, the capital will thus have representation at Palazzo Jacobucci. The anomaly was not having it.
The administrative and political meaning
The palace of the Province of Frosinone (Photo © AG IchnusaPapers)
Caligiore’s surrogate with Sergio Crescenzi in the Provincial Council represents an opportunity for the capital. Frosinone conquers, objectively not through its own merits, direct representation at Palazzo Jacobuccithe nerve center for administrative decisions at the provincial level. But which inevitably have an impact on the capital.
The strategy adopted by the mayor Riccardo Mastrangeli at the provincial elections was not to create critical mass on any candidate from Frosinone. Is to avoid internal competitions dangerous for its majority, and to leave a “hunting reserve” in the City Council to the League’s candidate Andrea Amata. Who in fact was then elected to the Province with the fundamental votes of Frosinone.
Crescenzi to the Province now allows the capital city to be directly involved in strategic choices that impact the territory: from infrastructures to public services, to school buildings.
The capital will thus be able to express itself, starting today directly and no longer in a mediated formits voice on crucial issues, such as improving the road network, strengthening public transport and supporting the economic sectors key to the growth of the city.
On the political level
Sergio Crescenzi
Caligiore also he managed the important budget delegationwhich should now be in the hands of Crescenzi. A further possibility for the City Councilor of Frosinone to influence the dynamics and decisions of the province.
From a political point of viewCrescenzi’s entry into Palazzo Jacobucci takes several chestnuts out of the fire, both for mayor Mastrangeli and for the FdI council group. The demands (even if soft and never shouted) that Crescenzi had put on the table were known to everyone, precisely by virtue of his failure to be elected to the Province. This subrogation represents a form of political relief.
In fact, he had asked for a position on the council in Frosinone several times. However, without ever receiving the approval: neither from his advisory group nor from the Party. And not even from the mayor. Now with his entry into Palazzo Jacobucci this “need” has disappeared. One less problem for Mastrangeli and Fdi.
Which, in truth, they have never had in Frosinone. Seriously.
