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The second day of the international forum "A mountain full of energy"

"We are pleased to be able to host a part Europe in Chiuro". With these words the Mayor of Chiuro, Tiziano Maffezzini, welcomed the audience that took part in the second and final day of the international forum "A mountain full of energy", at the CMM Town Hall in the small village in the Lombardy mountains, located in the heart of the Alps.

The event was opened by the President of IREALP, Fabrizio Ferrari, who reaffirmed the necessity to bring the needs and rights of the inhabitants of the Alps to the forefront in European decision-making centres, to promote territorial cohesion and the direct participation of mountain communities to build their future, not only in the field of energy.

The second part of the International Symposium, held in Sondrio on Thursday 19th  November, saw the agreement and the ratification by the MEP Fiorello Provera, Antonio Panzeri and Adrian Severin, of the position paper - developed by Euromontana, European Association for the regions of mountains on the initiative of IREALP, which ratifies the Union and the role of the European mountain territories in the energy sector.

The President of Euromontana, André Marcon, subject signatory of the position paper, wished to stress how "our mountains are rich in energy to resell and to all inhabitants of the mountain, we, have the right to receive a part of the proceeds derived from the sale of this strategic product." "But we need to act, because between different countries there are significant differences, while the keyword to achieve concrete results in Europe is cohesion".

MEP Fiorello Provera spoke on the subject: "I want to pay tribute to those who organised this event and primarily to IREALP and to its President Fabrizio Ferrari.""A mountain full of energy" continued Provera"is a title that I like very much, because it makes one think of the diversified dimension that implies energy in high lands: I think of the strength of our forests, able to regenerate despite pollution; I refer to the hydroelectric sector, a renewable source of energy of which the world has a great need." And in addition to these two strengths,  I would also add another extraordinary energy, that of our people, used  to making sacrifices and with consolidated relationships of solidarity .
"I think the idea of creating a Trans-national group from Portugal to Romania, which deals with the mountains" concluded the MEP from Valtellina "could lead to a greater Europe, which listens to a presentation of the rights of the people of the Alps with the necessary force ".

The Minister of territorial planning for Major Viability in the province of Sondrio, Ugo Parolo, intervened: "When we talk about energy in Valtellina we immediately think of water." 50 % of renewable energy of Lombardy is produced in the province of Sondrio, a portion representing 10 % of the hydroelectric sector at national level. We produce energy for 6 million inhabitants; the population of our mountain area amounts to approximately 180,000. Our inhabitants require compensation action for this. We are not asking for assistance, we simply wish to partake in the management of our resources. After 60 years of public concessions given to the private sector, the sources of the hydroelectric sector should legitimately return to being governed by the territory. "The formula to achieve this change is institutionalised public/private partnership, a European rule which we ask competent institutions to use fully, also with a view to contributing to the achievement of the Kyoto objectives ".

On a closing note, President Andrè Marcon reiterated: "the inter-group we intend to create European Commission level should operate in accordance with the principles of subsidiarity and Trans-nationality, proposing topics on which to work, both in the field of energy, and concerning other topical issues for mountain areas." "Whilst thanking IREALP for its work and for having organised this event of crucial importance, I would like to reiterate the importance of the presence of mountain inhabitants in the process of building a better Europe ".

A mountain full of energy - 2nd day interventions:

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