There has been a clash over the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Marcinelle tragedy, where 262 miners, 136 of them Italians, died on August 8, 1956. The controversy is sparked by the protest that, according to Carlo Fidanza, Head of the Brothers of Italy delegation in the European Parliament, was staged by some CGIL representatives during the speech by Senate President Ignazio La Russa, who was reading the message sent by President Sergio Mattarella.
"The CGIL should be ashamed!" says Fidanza. "This morning at the Bois du Cazier, during the official commemorations of the Marcinelle tragedy , CGIL representatives turned their backs while Senate President Ignazio La Russa read the message from President Sergio Mattarella. They did the same during the speech by European Parliament Vice-President Antonella Sberna. A pathetic and shameful gesture, which demonstrates a total lack of institutional sense, a blind hatred that today even overwhelms the President of the Republic. The left must dissociate itself from this outrage!"
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reacted harshly, attacking union representatives on social media. "Turning your back during the Marcinelle commemoration is a grave and shameful act," Meloni wrote on social media. "Today, during the ceremony for the 262 workers who died in the mine, several CGIL representatives chose to turn their backs while Senate President Ignazio La Russa spoke and read President Mattarella's message. A political protest transformed into an act of contempt for state institutions, precisely at a time when Italy is paying tribute to 262 victims and the sacrifice of so many of our fellow citizens. And it is even more serious if those doing so are representatives of an organization whose very raison d'être is the representation and protection of workers. Marcinelle is not a place for political divisions. It is a place of memory, respect, and the dignity of work. Those who chose to turn their backs today have disrespected all of this."
CGIL General Secretary Maurizio Landini responded to the Prime Minister's remarks, rejecting the accusations and defending the union's presence at the commemoration. "If a certain Mr. Fidanza has to speak badly of the CGIL to make it known that it exists, I believe—it's sunny here in Marcinelle today—he's suffering from sunstroke. Because the CGIL, if you don't know, I'll tell you, never turns a blind eye at any time, much less out of respect for our President of the Republic."
But Fidanza insists: "We witnessed a shameful scene, behavior that reveals blind hatred. Landini's denial is pointless; we have the photos, and the images have been published on various websites. The left should dissociate itself from this disgrace."
And finally, the mystery is resolved: the incident occurred, but the protest was staged by the Belgian union FGTB in Charleroi: "All the FGTB comrades turned away, because we are against the presence of fascist parties, and for us, FDI is a far-right party," Vincent Pestieau, the regional secretary , told ANSA. "We are against the presence of all fascist parties. Their presence is not a good thing, especially in a place so important for Italian immigration." A protest that "had nothing to do with Mattarella, but only because Ignazio La Russa spoke on behalf of the government."
(Unioneonline/D)
