SPEECH OF Mr. PETTINAROLI President of Comitato 8

I would like to thank the civilian, military, and religious authorities who have desired, with their presence, to honour the memory of the tragic day of October 8 two years ago. I received a little while ago a few messages from the Minister Lunardi (Ministry of Transportation), the Honourable Formigoni, and from the Honourable Paolo Romani, who have expressed their closeness to us.
A particular thanks to SEA who has organized this event today with the October 8th Committee, and I would like to thank SAS for their participation, and to the press for the attention they have given until now and which I hope the attention from the media does not decrease.
I should say with regret, however, that today not one Italian journal has published our event in their national section. It seems that to them, what occurred here was only a local problem for Milan or a problem for the Lombardia Region, not wanting to realize that the issue of air safety that we are disclosing is a problem that affects everyone around the world, not just in Milan. And because of this global problem, we have organized the events of today.
Also this year we find ourselves here in Forlanini Park, to remember and to remind the world that horrible tragedy that not only struck us family members and relatives, but hit all of Italy.
Two years have passed and contrary to what many believed and hoped for, the prosecutor has made large steps to try to identify in the shortest possible time the responsible and the guilty parties in the incident.
And suddenly, when things were going quickly and well, there was an unthinkable delay to the set schedule of the hearings, a delay due to the approval of law that allows the accused to plea bargain and to request the postponement of the trial process for 45 days. Five hearings, already scheduled way in advance, were lost, and the entire trial process has encountered a huge delay. The plea bargain, though, was not requested and the prosecutor is proceeding toward the search for the truth.
With my speech today, I would like to point out the negligence that continues in air safety, and remind you all of the promises made to never forget what happened that day so that everyone can strive to ensure a tragedy like this can never happen again. I would also like to remind the entities today, ENAC, ENAV, SEA, and the others, of their words and of their promises that they need to work together and unify their efforts. I would remind the City of Milan it would be fair and appropriate to name an important Piazza in the City after the accident, to help remember the worst catastrophe Milan has experienced since World War II.
At Fiumicino Airport in Rome, there is a beautiful Piazza, which is passed by many motorists, a monument treated with great care, a Piazza called “Largo Linate October 8, 2001 to Never Forget”. I would also like to remind you of the promises made to erect a monument in front of Linate Airport, but above all I would like to say to all of you who manage and have the responsibility for air safety of those that fly, to not be stingy with your investment, to carry out soon the promises you made during the meetings, so that they may be brought out from the meeting rooms, and arrive on the asphalt of Linate, of Malpensa, of Fiumicino, and of all the airports in the world.
But today we are here to remember our loved ones, 118 victims who were unaware of such negligence, and today is the day of our prayers, not a day to launch accusations nor for controversy and thus, I limit myself to remember some things the Committee promised and intends to carry out with firmness and conviction.
The first is instituting insurance for the victims of accidents of public transport which can be distributed to the family members by one month after the accident a sum of money, the same amount for everyone, independent of the age or the social or family position, which would help avoid so many unfortunate situations that we have already seen before. This was promised a year ago and we are bringing this initiative forward.
The second is the creation of a technical organization made of professionals of the highest characters and reputations, which would act as real observers of the Italian Civil Aviation Authorities, in order to serve as the vigilant and capable eyes in the interest of the consumers of the consumers. The group is already functioning and has the started to extend the program of participants.
The last goal is to show the detailed and graphic film, already seen in the courts, of the aftermath of the accident of October 8th, to the two houses of Congress in Rome.
Those who are governed touch with their hands the realty of what happens when things are treated with negligence and irresponsibility. And for this, I look to you Senators and Congressmen present here today so that you can carry our message to Rome.
That tragic morning two years ago, when I was a long drive from Milan for work, I repeatedly called my son’s mobile phone, never to be answered.
Today I turn to you who manage air safety of the Italian airports; for the love of God, do whatever is in your capability so that the mobile phones of our children will always be answered.