thank you for your kind words of support.
I have no idea what is best for Salemi. Sgarbi's extraordinary offer has awakened the dreams and aspirations of many people around the world. Each and every one of those people has their own vision of what Salemi is and what they would like Salemi to become. Some people appear to be very passionate about the prospect of buying a house in Salemi for 1 Euro and so don't like to hear of anything to the contrary. Well, I'm sorry if the truth is unpleasant, but it still remains the truth.
Do I have 'interior knowledge'? I have sure friends in Sicily who keep me advised of developments. I read Italian newspapers on a daily basis. It also helps being Maltese.
My interest, as I have stated before, is the truth. Unless anyone is able to demonstrate conclusively to the contrary, I say that the 'Salemi Project' is pie in the sky, pure fiction, propaganda dreamt up by a vain and cynical Italian politician. Since Sgarbi's offer is nothing but hot air and has no foundation in Italian law, all other discussion is a waste of time. I applaud those who have taken the trouble to go to Salemi and who have thereby visited the birthplace of modern Italy. Sicily is a beautiful island and the Sicilians welcoming and dignified. But it is foolish to speculate about such matters as how large the 1 Euro plots will be, who the local builders are, how much it will cost to build etc., if there is no lawful foundation to Sgarbi's words.
Sgarbi's latest ruse is that HE, the mayor of a provincial town in Sicily, will change the very laws of Italy to fit the words that came out of his mouth. In the same way that you are amazed by my 'faith in the unshakable nature of the Italian administrative processes', I am equally amazed by those who place so much faith in Sgarbi's words!
The so-called Salemi Project is a high profile gamble which could be the undoing of the various parties involved. Remember that Sgarbi is an outsider, a northern Italian. Eyes are fixed upon this Salemi administration, many of which are of the critical opposition, political and otherwise. So long as Sgarbi attracts positive international attention towards Salemi and continues to draw income for Salemi from the passionate and curious, local opposition will be restrained.
But I'll be the first to laugh if I am proven wrong.
