Punished for participating in the infamous Sardara luncheon. First he was reinstated, now he's also receiving compensation: the Region has been ordered to pay over €90,000 to Antonio Casula, a regional director whom the Solinas administration had dismissed from the General Directorate of the Forestry Corps in July 2021.

The labor judge of the Cagliari Court, Andrea Bernardino, ruled that the measure was an unlawful political retaliation that had caused Casula harm, both to his health and related to his demotion. Legally, these are "non-pecuniary" but translate into financial damage.

The story of the spa banquet is well-known. On April 7, 2021, with the COVID-19 orange zone in place and travel prohibited, the Guardia di Finanza (Financial Police) interrupted a gathering of about forty guests, including both well-known and less well-known figures and senior figures in the regional administration. Casula had made an appearance and ended up in the same cauldron of those removed from their positions. At Villa Devoto, there were those who believed a conspiracy was underway in Sardara.

The then-former general director was assigned to an office on Via Mameli, without an internet connection, along with other ostracized officials. He managed to remain in the Forestry Corps building on Via Mameli in Cagliari, but without any duties or objectives.

Originally from Milis, on July 24th he asked to contribute to the fight against the devastating fire in his native Montiferru. Permission was denied: witnesses at the proceedings revealed that the "approval from political leadership" was lacking. Casula could only watch as the flames devoured 20,000 hectares of forest. In December, he was appointed acting director in Oristano.

Meanwhile, his case for reinstatement to the higher role of director general continued. Other directors in his same position as politically "outcasts" had already won against the Region, where the punitive measures were therefore known to be illegitimate. Casula had to wait until August 2022, when the Court ruled in his favor.

But in the meantime he had lived for about a year without any purpose due to conduct that his lawyers (Giuseppe Accardi, Roberto Matta and Francesca Macis) described as mobbing.

Three days ago, the Cagliari Court accepted most of their arguments and awarded compensation to their client. He now leads Forestas. But for months and months, he had been condemned to limbo. Unlawfully.

Enrico Fresu

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