The request for a referendum to integrate Matera into Puglia has been submitted. Former senators of the Republic Tito di Maggio And Corrado Danzi (the first historically from the centrist area, now with Noi Moderati, the second much closer to the right than to the center) presented the request to the Municipality of Matera to convene a popular referendum with the necessary signatures.
The motivation lies in alleged diversion of money, services and attention to Potenza which, according to developers and their supporters, would leave Matera without essential services, including health and transportation.
The municipal council of the town of Sassi must decide within 15 days on the admissibility (by subject) of the referendum and on the possible formulation of the question to citizens. After this period, the decision will be communicated to the applicants who will then have an additional period of 60 days to collect all the necessary signatures (to then be validated within an additional period of 30 days). If all goes well, it will take another 120 days to hold the referendum.
Pass through Puglia, through Matera, this would mean losing the status of provincial capital, therefore coming under the aegis of Bari. In the past it was considered the creation, in this eventuality, of a new province which, following what happened in 2004 with the creation of the BAT from the ideal union of the towns of Barletta, Andria and Trani, would have included, with Matera, also the very close and populated Altamura and Gravina in Puglia. However, this would be a significant change in the political map of the South, which would involve the central government in a much more complex process.
