The Turkey against the small town of Fossalto: do Not give the honorary citizenship to mr. Ocalan. The mayor: we did Not expect a similar reaction

The award of the honorary citizenship of Abdullah Ocalan from a small town in molise is likely to open a diplomatic crisis with Turkey.

Turkey condemns the recognition awarded by the municipality of Fossalto, a little more than 1200 souls, in the province of Campobasso, the leader of the kurdish separatists of the Pkk in prison since 1999, and asks Italy to avoid that "such attempts can take place in the future". Writes in a note the ministry of Foreign affairs in Ankara.

"we did Not expect a similar reaction," says the mayor of Fossalto Xavier Grandpa 33-year-old, elected in may 2019. "Ours was a symbolic gesture, a recognition of the merits and the efforts of Ocalan to promote peace. I had promised in the election campaign and I did it two days ago, the 4 of march," he continues. "Other cities have attributed to Ocalan the same honor, including our chief town Campobasso. Never could I have imagined that my small town was in the crosshairs of the Turkish ministry of Foreign affairs", concludes.

"we Express once again that we expect the cooperation of Italian authorities in the fight against the terrorist organization against this initiative, which is the last example of similar decisions of some local governments in Italy, and against such attempts that may occur in the future," read the statement released this morning from Ankara.

In the past, the Turkish government had already condemned in the same way, the conferral of honorary citizenship to mr. Ocalan by the different Municipalities, including Naples and Palermo. The Italian authorities have always stressed the autonomy of local governments in this matter.

in Addition to the municipalities already mentioned, have received the honorary citizenship and Ocalan also, Castelbottaccio (CB), Palagonia (CT), Reggio Emilia, Riace (RC), Martano (LE) and Pinerolo (TO).

the mayor of Castelbottaccio, Nicholas Brown , commented on the condemnation of Turkey: "We were the first in Molise in march 2018 to give citizenship to the leader of the kurds Ocalan, and we did that as a gesture of peace, he and the kurds are seen as terrorists but that is not true. There is an aggression unjustified to people, and no one, especially Europe, says nothing. It is severe".

ll party head of the nationalist kurdish was passed in Italy, 65 days between 1998 and 1999, and was one of the biggest problems of the then center-left government led by Massimo D'alema.

On the case is also addressed by Maurizio Acerbo , the secretary of communist Refoundation, the party historically close to the positions in kurdistan. "The note of the Turkish ministry is inadmissible, - he says - first of all because in our Country the municipalities are free to vote without interference of the government. The Turkish regime used to arrest the mayors of the opposition and to bomb the rebel towns. In Italy the fascism we defeated in 1945. This note from the ministry shows what is the mentality of the fascist Erdogan".

"The Republic will fight always in defense of the freedom of information, to its readers and to all those who have at heart the principles of democracy and civil coexistence"

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