Silvio Berlusconi Declares Naples Street Rubbish Dumps 'Military No-Go Zones'

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 5-21-2008 | Malcolm Moore

[blam]

Silvio Berlusconi declares Naples street rubbish dumps 'military no-go zones'

By Malcolm Moore in Naples
Last Updated: 10:30PM BST 21/05/2008

Silvio Berlusconi promised to wash Italy clean of fear and use "absolute firmness" against any dissent. The 71-year-old prime minister held the first meeting of his new cabinet in rubbish-strewn Naples in order to resolve the city's perennial problems of crime and unemployment.

At the end of the five-hour meeting, Mr Berlusconi promised to govern the city and the country with an iron fist. "We have painful tasks ahead, but we will act with unswerving determination," he said.

He reclassified the areas of the city containing rubbish dumps as "areas of national strategic interest" and added: "That means they are now military zones".

Until now, Naples had been unable to use many of its dumps because local residents have mounted protests.

Mr Berlusconi said: "Anyone who comes into these zones or tries to impede their functioning will be punished with three months to a year in prison. The ringleaders of any protests in the city will be punished with between one and five years in prison.

"We will intervene with all of our force and authority. This state must become a proper state again."

The cabinet also approved a "security package" that would target illegal immigrants and punish them with up to four years in prison.

After outlining his uncompromising new stance, Mr Berlusconi retired to the Hotel Vesuvius, where he stayed in a 3,500 sq ft "imperial" suite.

Naples prepared for Mr Berlusconi's arrival with a campaign to remove any trace of the rubbish that had been lying on the streets. However, it later emerged that the rubbish had been shifted only a few blocks away to streets that his cavalcade would not pass through.

As Mr Berlusconi and his cabinet met, thousands of Neapolitans took to the streets in protest. Ten separate marches were staged in protests about unemployment, rubbish and immigration. Under Mr Berlusconi's new rules, these protests may now become illegal.

The hard line taken by the government was heavily criticised by many of the marchers, who accused Mr Berlusconi of playing on people's fears about immigrants.

"This is a classic fascist tactic to make us take our anger out on foreigners because we do not have jobs," said Carmine Ruggiero, one marcher.

[thulldud]

Naples prepared for Mr Berlusconi's arrival with a campaign to remove any trace of the rubbish that had been lying on the streets. However, it later emerged that the rubbish had been shifted only a few blocks away to streets that his cavalcade would not pass through.

Was ex-Mayor Dinkins hiding in there?

[Reaganesque]

After outlining his uncompromising new stance, Mr Berlusconi retired to the Hotel Vesuvius, where he stayed in a 3,500 sq ft "imperial" suite.

Hmmm, he promises all of these drastic measures and then retires to a hotel named after a volcano that is famous for obliterating two towns. For any of you who aren't sure of what irony is, here you go.

[whitedog57]

Naples is a beautiful city, in parts. It also has some horrendous areas. Lots of crime, disreputable cab drivers (although telling the cab that he gets only x Euros and nothing more seems to work).

Classic socialism degeneration.

[P8riot]

Every time I go to Naples, I get on the train and go somewhere else. Naples is a hole.

[Lx]

I was in Naples in October last year. To be charitable, it is not a very nice place and the airport seems to be in the middle of a neighborhood. The taxi driver who took us there didn’t have nice things to say about Naples either.

It still won’t stop me from going back to Ravello or the Amalfi coast.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

I can never say I was “in” Naples.

I can always say we “sped” through Naples.

[montomike]

We neeed the picture of Mussolini shooting the choo-choo driver!

[12Gauge687]

May I recommend Siena’s Centro Storico (Historic Center) except during Palio season. When the vintage cars of the Mille Miglia come through in May, it’s quite fun.

[Mountain Troll]

Are you sure that was irony? Maybe he was sending a deliberate message.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

We're going to Italy on a Globus trip in September and will be visiting Naples....These pictures on Yahoo from Naples on May 17 are bad...I thought the situation had improved.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

"A woman walks past piles of trash piled on a sidewalk in Naples May 17, 2008."

[Clemenza]

Naples has always been filled with trash. They’re called “Napolitani.” ;-)

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Naples May 16, 2008...

[Clemenza]

What the hell is my grandmother doing walking about in Naples? That lady looks just like my Nonna.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Naples May 16

[redstateconfidential]

[TalonDJ]

Is this recent or is this a WWII 60 years later realtime thread?

[jonno]

Until now, Naples had been unable to use many of its dumps because local residents have mounted protests.

Why are residents preventing the use of dumps?

[P8riot]

Never been there in May, every time I've been there I have been struck by the trash in the streets, the abject poverty of a lot of folks, beggars, crime, prostitution, just the refuse of humanity. Buildings are constantly in disrepair, and traffic is so bad that once I had to walk across the hoods of cars to get across the street. No one could do anything about it either, because the cars were so close together no one could get out.

The best thing I've found in Naples is the train station. I take the CircumVesuviana (I think it's Line 1) to Sorrento and it is absolutely wonderful. The people are friendly, hotels are nice, the food and the service in the restaurants are good, and you can breathe without inhaling automobile exhaust. It doesn't cost much either.