Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
AUGUSTA (SYRACUSE) / POLITICS & ADMINISTRATION – A wide-ranging conversation covering political vision, ongoing projects and cultural planning. Giuseppe Di Mare, mayor of Augusta and recently appointed provincial commissioner of Lega – Italia Federale, was the central figure in a long exclusive interview at the studios of WLTV, as a guest on the programme Punto e a capo Web.
The discussion focused not only on his new political role within the Sicilian centre-right, but above all on the administrative future of Augusta, a city where a landslide vote saw him re-elected with almost 85% of the preference.
[Image: The WLTV television studios during the interview with Augusta mayor Giuseppe Di Mare]
The new political course and “no” to regional election rumours
Pressed on the political transition within the centre-right and the new direction of the party led by Matteo Salvini – increasingly rooted in the Syracuse area thanks to the work of Sammartino – Di Mare stressed the importance of ties with local areas:
“Today Lega – Italia Federale is a party that pays great attention to local authorities and wants to showcase a south full of good examples of government and enterprise.”
On his political alignment, the mayor proudly reaffirmed his background:
“My journey began in Azione Giovani and has always been within the centre-right. But beyond symbols and colours, I am Peppe Di Mare, the mayor of Augusta. The new role serves only to strengthen the institutional chain with Palermo and Rome so we can bring more resources to our community.”
He gave a firm response to corridor gossip suggesting he was ready to leave the mayoral sash for a bid in the next regional elections:
“I am the mayor of Augusta and I must complete a journey of profound change that has just begun. In politics there is a time for everything: today my only goal is to honour the mandate the citizens have given me.”
Healthy finances and €44 million in investment: from via Pio La Torre to PalaJonio
On the administrative front, Di Mare claimed credit for restoring the Municipality’s finances, which now allow calm planning of the 2027–2029 budget. His strategy remains constant presence in the area, summed up by the social media feature “A building site a day”:
“I don’t like being cooped up in an office. Citizens aren’t interested in party labels, but in safe roads, efficient traffic, sports facilities and urban decorum.”
In recent financial measures the administration has mobilised a total of €44 million for widespread interventions across the vast municipal territory: new roundabouts, city parks, tree planting and school buildings.
Two pieces of news have been particularly awaited by the people of Augusta:
- PalaJonio: work has officially resumed at the historic sports facility, which in the past hosted Serie A matches and national titles. “Seeing the goalposts go up again is moving. We will return to the city the temple of five-a-side football and of Augusta sport.”
- Brucoli and the Aragonese Castle: the executive project for the structural and lighting redevelopment of Brucoli square has been approved, funded with €500,000 from the Region and €150,000 from the municipal budget. By the end of the year the contracting firm will be selected for a project that will complement the imminent reopening of the Aragonese Castle, set to become a central hub for cultural tourism.
School security and hybrid warfare
There was also room for national current affairs, with reference to the recent hoax bomb threats sent by email to thousands of schools across Italy, including those in the Syracuse area:
“The very concept of conflict is changing: we are living in the age of hybrid warfare,” Di Mare commented. “We need a coordinated response at national and European level to protect sensitive infrastructure, schools, hospitals and transport from these new technological threats.”
Christmas in Augusta and the return of the “Il Federiciano” festival
Although there are still a few weeks to go, the organisational machine for the Christmas festivities is already in full swing. The events calendar will officially begin on 3 December with a major national appointment: Il Federiciano, the National Poetry Festival, which will bring more than 2,000 poets to Augusta, ready to turn the streets of the centre into an open-air literary workshop until 5 December. This will be followed by light displays, shows, food initiatives and the traditional New Year’s Eve in the square, for which the administration is working to finalise the name of the musical guest.
In closing, the mayor reaffirmed the empathetic bond he has built with the population, while also taking swipes at the vandals who deface public property:
“I stay at the Municipality until 9.30pm with the door open to listen to anyone in need. Doing politics seriously means sacrificing time with loved ones to devote yourself entirely to your land. The affection of the people, starting with the children at school, is the real fuel that gives us the energy to go on.”
