Milan, 26 March (LaPresse) – ‘Security is not brought by rearmament, but by work, rights and the welfare state’. This was stated by CGIL secretary Maurizio Landini ahead of the assembly ‘for Europe, peace, environment, rights’ called for Saturday 29 March. ‘The political forces can be there if they want, the assembly is open. But the social forces make the square,' he points out, ’open to lay and Catholic associations, mayors and all those who want to participate. There will be, to name but a few, Anpi, Acli, Arci, Libera, the community of Sant'Egidio, the Forum Disparities and Diversity, Sbilanciamoci, the Peace and Disarmament Network. Then Roberto Gualtieri, mayor of Rome and president of Ali, the Italian Local Autonomies. The mayor of Perugia Vittoria Ferdinandi, peace delegate for Anci. And many others'. On the issue of European rearmament Landini says: ‘The logic of war is prevailing within an unprecedented and frightening framework. The very existence of Europe is at risk. The silence on the massacre in Palestine, broken only by the Pope's words of denunciation, is unacceptable. That is why we feel the need for the assembly to discuss the reasons for the crisis we are experiencing. To strongly demand to stop the arms race that extends and does not stop the war’. ‘CGIL has always stood for work, peace, democracy and defence of the welfare state,’ he adds, ’we need common European policies on defence, economy, taxation, industrial policies, employment protection. Because then the war is paid for by workers and citizens. That's why we are also calling the mayors. Because we fear, like them, that rearmament will cut social spending and services. For us that is unacceptable. Security is not made by weapons, but by jobs and rights. Especially without a common defence design at European level'.
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