Mattarella among the flood victims: “I know you will make it, Italy is close to you”

FORLI’ . Ten minutes of direct speech, in front of Romagna which gets back up after being bent over by the flood: the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, crossed the two wings of school groups with the tricolor that awaited him in Piazza Saffi in Forlì, the volunteers who had come from the whole country, the armed and law enforcement forces that have been providing aid in the affected areas for days and said: “I know you will make it, Italy is close to you”.

It was introduced by the mayor, Gian Luca Zattini, who recalled the symbolic power of the chosen place: «A square where in August 1944 four young partisans were hanged and it seemed they wanted to wipe us out. Here, where we met in April 1988, after the barbaric murder of Senator Ruffini. From here, we have always restarted and from here we will return to being the great city we know ».

After an initial aerial inspection of the flooded areas, he is accompanied by the governor of the Emilia-Romagna Region, Stefano Bonaccini, welcomed by the choirs of children who shouted “President, President!”, Mattarella said he had “seen deep wounds in the area”, he admitted that it is “a difficult, demanding moment”, but he also said he was certain of one thing: “I know you will make it, with the help of the state and the government, even if it will require a great effort”.

In these moments, he meets some delegations of volunteers and relief personnel, later he will move to other areas affected by the floods.