The controversial project for the new AS Roma stadium in Pietralata remains a hot topic in the Italian capital. Recently, committees opposing the project launched a new initiative aimed at raising concerns about the transparency of the entire process. Once again, the topic of the forest comes into play.

National Anti-Corruption Agency to review the project

As reported by journalist Alessio Di Francesco on platform X, the committees have recently filed a complaint with the National Anti-Corruption Agency (ANAC). The complaint highlights concerns about the lack of transparency and certain discrepancies regarding the public interest status granted to the project and the subsequent stages of its development. The intervention of ANAC could impact the ongoing administrative procedures for the stadium construction, which remains a highly debated topic among both supporters and opponents of the investment.

© AS Roma

Activists continue their fight for the forest

898 days after the presentation of the initial project and 349 days since the request for verification was submitted, on March 19, the Rome authorities announced the commencement of checks concerning a supposed forest area of 2 hectares. This area, which had also been identified by AS Roma, was previously downplayed by the city. Complaints, warnings, and reports have finally broken the wall that the city administration had built, attempting to maintain the narrative that Pietralata is a degraded space that needs revitalization. This information was shared in a post published by the civil movement Yes to the Park, Yes to the Hospital, No to the Stadium, which monitors the progress of the new stadium's in Pietralata construction. The post also included correspondence between various municipal offices. Just days ago, both Campidoglio and AS Roma assured the public that there were no delays in the planned activities and that work is currently underway to plan the archaeological research actions.

After the announcement of the resumption of excavations starting from February 17, and then the rescheduling of the date to March 24, the group recalls, following the formal request for tree cutting permission, which was rejected by a decision forbidding the felling of protected trees and shrubs, on March 19, AS Roma received a formal prohibition to conduct archaeological studies in an area of 20,000 m². We are certain that the timing of the prosecutor's investigation prompted a more cautious approach from the officials who had previously provided a variety of arguments, such as the lack of a forest, which no one had ever actually verified.

We are pleased that we were able to convince the city to make at least a logical decision, the post continues, but we are still not satisfied, because despite the start of the breeding season, which should have halted any tree-cutting activities throughout Rome until at least July 31, as stipulated by the Urban Green Regulations, permission has still been granted for work in free areas. We will report any actions to the prosecutor that could lead to changes in the current state of the land and also announce that we possess a second agronomic expertise carried out by a renowned expert, which we will add to the documentation already submitted to the prosecutor's office as part of the case initiated based on the report by the Forest Corps. Building a stadium on a green area designated as a park, which contains a forest, is a disgrace.

© AS Roma

Politicians from various factions support the request

The call to freeze the decision has been endorsed by two Members of the European Parliament: former mayor of Rome Ignazio Marino, an independent member of the Greens, and Dario Tamburrano from the M5S. They argue that it is enough to visit the area to confirm that it is indeed a forest, or simply read the agronomist’s report from December, which confirmed the forested nature of the area. According to them, the Roman administration must now acknowledge this fact.