Mr Giorgio Napolitano President of Italy has called for solutions that would ensure continued operation at the ILVA steelworks in Taranto.

Mr Napolitano, wrote in reply to a letter sent to him by workers of the ILVA steel plant in Taranto, that "It must be possible, in full respect for both the independence of the judiciary and its decisions for the purpose of enforcing the law, to find solutions that would ensure continued and improved operations in such a strategically important sector for our nation, which is a significant source of jobs, especially in Taranto and Apulia, while going ahead without further delays with those actions, for which the company, the national government and local bodies are separately responsible, that would prove essential to ensure full compliance with European directives and environmental and public health protection regulations."

He said that "I hope that we can swiftly and effectively work in that direction, fostering an atmosphere of understanding and responsible social and civil participation in Taranto and all the cities affected by this burning issue. I owe an answer to your dramatic appeal: partly because in 1959-1960, as a young MP and politician from southern Italy, I was a keen advocate of the need to build a steel plant in the city of Taranto, as a way to foster development in the South. That led to the establishment of an extraordinary experience of production and work that can't be forgotten, although it went through some questionable choices and faced complex problems."

Source - Agenzia Giornalistica Italia

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