Augusta, Donato begins mandate

Augusta - Navy Captain Antonio Donato is the newly established special commissioner of the Port Authority of Augusta. Capt. Donato is currently harbour master of that port. He was appointed by Infrastructure Minister Graziano Delrio, and will replace Alberto Cozzo, whose name has appeared in connection with the Sicilian line of investigation of the Potenza oil scandal, along with Sicilian entrepreneur Gianluca Gemini, the partner of former Economic Development Minister Federica Guidi, and the vice president of Confindustria, Ivan Lo Bello.

According to the judiciary’s version of events, Cozzo, who may have been placed in his official position by the two suspects, favoured a company close to Gemini to construct a storage depot in the bay of Augusta. “We will move forward with the projects already underway,” said the new Commissioner of the port Authority of Augusta, Antonio Donato, “which are strategic for the port of Augusta, including the link with Malta and video surveillance systems.”

Questioned on responses to the migrant crisis, the new Commissioner stressed the importance of offering safe haven, but reiterated the incompatibility between migrant hotspots and the needs of a commercial port.