Appeal to the ECtHR : Because you write Water, but read Democracy
"Because you write Water, but read Democracy" is the slogan that has accompanied us for almost twenty years and, still today, is the main motive why we presented at the Chamber of Deputies our appeal we will lodge with the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).
By this action, the Forum Italiano dei Movimenti per l’Acqua (Italian Forum of Water Movements), guardian of the successful outcome of the June 2011 referendum by which 27 million Italians expressed their clear will to exclude water management from market and profit logic, intends to assert this right currently still denied to all of us; denial that risks exacerbating the situation of social inequality already present in our country.
Denial of a right perpetrated transversely by all the governments in the last 14 years: from Berlusconi government that issued what we then called the "Decree of Ferragosto (15 August)" by which, less than a month after the publication of the validation of the referendum outcome (Yes for Water as Common Good) in the Official Gazette of the Decrees of the President of the Republic, the then executive wanted to call everything into question, up to the Mario Draghi implementing decree of the enabling law that excludes public law entities from the management of network services, water included.
Certainly, current Meloni government couldn’t be any less: in fact it attempted a further attack, fortunately not successful, aimed to change the consolidated single text (Testo Unico) on the Environment with a provision that would have allowed the entrance of private subjects in the share capital of operators 100% public, through a veiled blackmail (but not even then so veiled), in terms of cuts to State contributions by the government itself towards local authorities that wouldn’t deliberate in accordance with such a direction.
This is a denial of democracy and of civic control exercised by the citizens of territorial communities, deprived of the governance of their territorial Administration by a logic of centralization at supra-municipal levels, in favor of multiutilities quoted in the stock market that are already dividing up our national territory, in particular “the four sisters”: HERA S.p.a., IREN S.p.a, A2A S.p.a. e ACEA S.p.a..
Consequently there is a serious danger of growing of socio-economic inequalities because, thanks to a calculation method elaborated by the Authority of Regulation for Energy Networks and Environment (ARERA), in the time period from 2011 to 2024 (time period of comparison taken into consideration in our appeal) water tariffs increased of 75% against an inflation of 25% (data taken from 10 provincial capitals, by analyzing the bills from that territories); in any case putting in evidence tariff increases in the exercises operated by joint-stock companies quoted in the stock market higher than the ones applied by companies 100% public.
That are essentially the reasons why today, at 2 days from the World Water Day established by the UN in 1993, we present our appeal as a first national initiative that intends also to remember this event as a public reminder of the vital importance of water. Further initiatives will be put in place next days in many territories, also on the occasion of local initiatives, linked by a single common thread concerning the struggle against privatization of water, climate change, dramatic status of our networks needing their restoration and preservation of water quality.
Because you write Water, but read Democracy.
Forum Italiano Movimenti per l’Acqua
(Italian Forum of Water Movements)
Ufficio Stampa Forum Italiano dei Movimenti per l'Acqua
Tel. 333 6876990
e-mail: ufficiostampa @ acquabenecomune.org
Website: www.acquabenecomune.org