Guido Crosetto, Italian Minister of Defense and Armaments, knows like few others the rhythm of the summer calendar of the Roman palaces. He had no doubt about the date to stamp on that apparently worthless sheet of paper with which to impose on Sardinia a new season of bombs and missiles, land-air, sea-land, air-sea-land. The signal on the timing was clear: beach bag already positioned at the door of the ministry. It is the first of August when the very powerful tenant of Via XX Settembre, the Roman headquarters of the Ministry of War, writes the letter to the President of the Sardinian Region, the Prefects of Cagliari, Nuoro and Oristano, not surprisingly those of Teulada, Perdasdefogu-Quirra and Capo Frasca.

State whitening

The communication is a masterpiece of State whitewashing, a sort of "lecture" on the sense of responsibility and the duties of a good citizen. The subject is neutral: Joint Joint Committee of the Sardinia region - Programs for the use of Sardinian ranges for the 2nd semester of 2023. The premise of the letter is an unsuccessful attempt to sweeten the decision taken by the regional body which must, in theory, approve military exercises on Sardinian soil. With what for the military was a "secular coup", the representatives of the Region, catching the graduates off guard, rejected the exercises of the October-December 2023 program. The Minister uses the "Ursuline" formula: the committee did not approve the program.

Japanese fair play

In reality that plan to bomb the island's coasts was rejected without half measures. In the muffled rooms of Rome, all tanks and missiles, however, they will never use that word that recalls defeat. Indeed, with the fair play of the Japanese at Pearl Harbor, who after having bombed the Americans tried to quietly apologize, the leaders of the Ministry of Defense are reminding Sardinia of a sense of belonging. Crosetto writes: «In this regard, I highlight that the failure to carry out the training activities planned at the ranges in question, the use of which has already been largely limited in compliance with the requests of the territory, would prevent the correct preparation of the military instrument - in relation to the tasks of "Defence institute - essential for the operational use of personnel, in safe conditions, in carrying out the assigned missions both in the national and international context". Statements that clash with the truth and reality, especially when it is stated that "the use has already been largely limited in compliance with the requests of the territory". Declaration devoid of any foundation, given that there has not been, in any military base on the island, even the restitution of one square meter of land; on the contrary, the areas of action of the exercises in recent years have been extended disproportionately in portions of sea and land outside the military ranges themselves, almost as if to militarise the entire regional territory. Not only has there not been the slightest limitation, but the land reclamation issue has remained a dead letter, with random commitments and no money, with promises devoid of any confirmation in the field. Completely ignoring the environmental issue and the same criminal trial that brought the top defense leaders to trial for the devastation of the Teulada range, the Minister signs the peremptory order: «Therefore, making use of the faculty provided for by article 322, paragraph 5 , of Legislative Decree 15 March 2010, n. 66, containing the "Military Regulation Code", I definitively approve the program of use for the 2nd semester of 2023 of the military ranges under the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces located in the territory of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia".

Environmental disaster

Not even half a word on the statements verbalized by Comipa in the procedure for rejecting the exercises. A real j'accuse from the regional body was completely ignored: «exercises of that magnitude, despite the reassurances provided during the presentation, are the cause, in addition to pollution, of an anthropic load in conflict with community directives, as well as be in conflict with regional and national regulations".

We wish them well

The Minister doesn't hear us, on the environmental front he turns his face the other way, preferring the anthem to war games rather than respect for the environment. Having ignored the arguments of the Region and those of the Sardinian Judges means wanting to affirm, without fear of contradiction, the absolute power of the Ministry of Defense on Sardinian soil. Crosetto's letter ends with the precept to "love each other": «In awareness of the delicacy of the problem, I hope, with conviction, for a continuous consolidation of the dialogue and the system of relations between our institutions, as an essential element aimed at further reconciling the 'indispensable economic and social development of the territory and the essential military needs, with a view to achieving common institutional objectives.' That rhetorical call for the "continuous consolidation of dialogue" is proof that the Ministry of Defense is pretending nothing has happened, ignoring the outright rejection of military exercises for environmental and public health reasons. A dialogue which, according to the timing of the Ministry of Defence, had to take place under the umbrella, given that the signature of the Minister's communication on August 1st had only one meaning: to avoid any confrontation. The choice of a "letter" of a few lines to communicate the rejection of the decision of the Comipa of Sardinia is, then, an even more significant defeat, given that the Ministry of Defense does not even take into consideration the possible appeal of that decision. In reality, that provision, peremptory and orderly, is as valid as a decree, being a "sui generis" administrative act but still inherent to a procedure established by law. He could have made a decree, and would have had to indicate the sixty-day deadlines for the appeal, both in the TAR and in the Constitutional Court, or choose the path, as he did, of a letter from Augustus.

Letter-decree

The substance does not change, the terms of appeal also apply to this form of "decree" in the form of a letter, even if the provision of the military system allows a preliminary phase to the administrative and constitutional appeal. The Region, if it had wanted, could have, within 15 days of the communication, therefore by August 15th, asked to submit the issue for review by the Council of Ministers. One thing is certain: he didn't. The reasons for this choice are not known, but it could have two explanations: the first, it does not intend to "disturb" the Minister, even in view of the next regional elections, or, the second, it chooses the strongest and most dignified path of contesting within sixty days, excluding the 30 days of August, the provision to both the TAR and the Constitutional Court.

Dignity or submission

Moreover, it would be truly surreal if the Sardinian Region, after having become a civil party in the trial for an environmental disaster in the Teulada range, chose not to defend Comipa's position in court. This would be a clear contradiction and an extraordinary missed opportunity. For the first time in the history of autonomy, in fact, we could claim the application of the "new" Constitution which in May 2022 modified the order of values and principles by introducing, in article nine of the Constitution, a provision that seems written ad hoc for the Teulada and Sardinia case: «[The Republic] protects the environment, biodiversity and ecosystems, also in the interests of future generations». The choice is between succumbing or reacting, defending the island's environment or passively accepting state impositions.

War party

On November 4th, Armed Forces Day, they plan to celebrate it in Sardinia. In the upper levels of Defense they even foresee the parade of the Head of State, Sergio Mattarella, accompanied by the Minister who loves war games on Sardinian soil, the seal of State for the militarization of the Island.

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