"You know what's really spooky?" "The lights are still on." "Inside the houses." "Maybe someone didn't come home or lost a loved one." " This was a nice street, wasn't it?" " Very." "There's still a car here." "I wonder whose it was." "Could that be my cat?" "Black Cat!" "No, it's not mine." "Look at that grass!" "This is truly... a ghost town." "When can I bring people back here?" "Good evening." "I'm the mayor." "Good evening." "How are you?" "Spring had just begun in the beautiful peninsula and for Silvio Berlusconi, it was another shitty day." "The magistrates relentlessly continued investigating him." "They didn't find any written or oral proof with which they could commit me to trial!" "The founder of his party had been sentenced to nine years for Mafia connections and investigations continued..." "It's obvious, unfortunately, as I'm a Mafioso... as I'm a Mafioso... while Berlusconi got off scot-free thanks to a series of laws he created for himself, and a bit of luck." "I was lucky to be able to afford to spend 200 million euros on consultants and judges." "This persecution, of course..." "I mean lawyers." "This persecution, of course..." "But that wasn't all." "El Pais published photos of parties at his villa of foreign leaders naked in his garden, surrounded by young escorts." "Opinion polls showed his popularity was plummeting and international polls underlined that at his level of popularity there were only dictators." "So when, at 3.32 on 6 April 2009, an earthquake awoke even the Big Brother housemates..." "Everyone out!" "Is it an earthquake?" " It's an earthquake." " Right, guys." "Everyone out!" "Stay calm, but get out." "And when it emerged that an entire town was destroyed, for Berlusconi, it was like God was reaching out to him once again." "The earthquake caused 308 deaths." "The firefighters, who arrived hours later, rescued over 1000 people, helping people with moving generosity." "In addition to firefighters, thousands of Civil Protection Volunteers arrived." "And forest rangers, the state police, the local police, the finance police, the carabinieri, the army, the Alpine troops, the Boy Scouts, an army of clowns, monks and nuns," "politicians, singers, an army of anchormen, an army of cooks," "an army of flat-screen TVs," "Angela Merkel, and Obama," "Carla Bruni," "George Clooney." "So finally, I decided I'd go too." "Greetings!" " Bravo, Silvio!" " All this affection embarrasses me." "Too much love." "Stop it." "This earthquake has been a great success!" "No other earthquake has ever had such high ratings!" "Thank goodness for Silvio!" "DRAQUILA Italy Trembles" "Silvio, this way!" "As well as the loss of life, the earthquake destroyed one of Italy's 20 cities of art." "The damage to cultural heritage was immense." "It is state property, so the state is responsible for the repairs, but there's no money." "So the earthquake law focuses on the emergency but doesn't clearly address reconstruction." "Shame!" "Shame!" "Shame!" "We're guaranteeing nothing to the citizens of Abruzzo," "I hope you realise that." "Leave us alone!" "We're not criminals." "Why are the police here?" "Citizens and the opposition protest." "The government doesn't care." "Voting is finished." "The Senate does not approve." "The Senate does not approve..." "The Senate does not approve..." "Berlusconi, piece of shit!" "The only way to get money is to impose a special tax, as was the case for other natural disasters." "But taxes are unpopular, and for Berlusconi the earthquake is a unique opportunity to rebuild his reputation." "Silvio, help us!" "Help us!" "And to prove he is a real politician..." "Who's touching my arse?" "and not just a jerk with a dubious sense of humour..." "Wait, he was a tanned guy..." "Barack Obama!" "who never misses a chance to bring shame on Italy" "and embarrass the rest of the world." "Dramatic intervention is called for." "Italy is devastated by property speculation." "The few undeveloped areas are protected by environmental laws." "Berlusconi has long fought to unshackle the building trade." "An important project to build new towns next to provincial capitals..." "In the past, disasters have been used to propose new towns." "Like in Calabria, where a landslide which destroyed 26 houses was the pretext to build another 247." "For years later, the court declared these houses unnecessary." "In San Giuliano, a school collapsed killing 27 children." "His sympathy did not distract him from his objective." "The construction of a new San Giuliano within 24 months, could provide the inhabitants of San Giuliano with new functional, innovative apartments, built using new automated technology." "What better opportunity than a meek and traumatised population with 70,000 homeless people?" "When something happens that causes a collective trauma," "the ability to react cannot be compared to reactions that occur during normal times." "An injured person on the ground is easier to manage than someone who is strong, right?" "And so, 48 hours after the earthquake..." "The morning of the 8th, when he got out of his helicopter, the PM announced the creation of a new town." "A project emerges to build 4,500 new houses." "Beautiful houses in harmony with the pre-existing urban landscape, with gardens, ready for use." "Four days after the earthquake, the new project was presented on TV." "The project was probably ready for any dramatic event that might have occurred." "We're like guinea pigs." "They'll find them fully furnished." "They'll open the fridge and perhaps find a cake, a bottle of Italian sparkling wine, and a note from the Prime Minister wishing them all the best in their new home." "The new homes will have everything you could dream of after six months in a tent." "And the message will be" ""Berlusconi gave homes to the homeless."" "We'll get a house, who from?" "The state, the Civil Protection?" "I have to thank them." "They've done a lot." " Who is the state?" " Berlusconi!" " Berlusconi is the state?" " Isn't he?" "He's doing his best." "No one could have done more." "The Left wouldn't have done this." "All the television shows focus on the challenge of building in such a short time." "Five months to complete the buildings." "It's been called Mission:" "Impossible." "It's an impossible challenge." "To succeed, special powers were needed for a special man..." "Guido Bertolaso, head of the Dept of Civil Protection, married to the daughter of a big contractor well-connected to the Vatican." "I greet Guido Bertolaso, and thank him for his kind words and everything he does." "He's made special commissioner for Abruzzo's earthquake having been special commissioner for Campania's rubbish emergency, the Aeolian Islands' volcanoes, Lampedusa's coast, the raising of the wreck of the Haven, bio-nuclear risks, cycling championships," "and the presidency of the G8." "In the list of most important people of the year, you're in third place after Obama and Napolitano, even the Pope comes after you." "I hope I won't be ex-communicated for that." "Guido Bertolaso will be in charge during the relief operations and until Berlusconi's homes have been built." "When an emergency strikes, we can't go with committees and sub - committees, assemblies and city councils." "As the ancient Romans taught us, these are like times of war." "During emergencies, the Senate would close down." "Two consuls would be nominated and the Senate would re-open." "War?" "So we're at war?" "Our children are in tents!" "Enough bullshit!" "Let us speak!" "Those houses will remain and they'll be monstrous!" " Take her out!" " Take that rude woman out!" "The government decides the mayor, the citizens and their representatives should be excluded from decisions about the town." "It's always the same old story." "There's always an emergency!" "The citizens are excluded and the area is evacuated." "The historic centre is a "red zone" under military surveillance." "Good morning." "Do you have authorisation to be here?" "30,000 people are sent 200 kilometres away to hotels on the coast." "They were told to pretend they were on holiday." "I like it here." "I can say I really like it here." " So you're happy?" " Very happy." "We eat well." "They change our towels every day, our sheets every Wednesday." "We've got a lovely, clean room." "I can't complain." "Of course, I'm sorry about our town but not that much." "You know why?" "I nearly died that night in my house." "Everything collapsed." "I've been back twice but I've never gone inside my house." "I left it at night and seeing it in daylight would make me sad." "I don't feel up to it." "Another 30,000 people were housed in 164 tent cities." "They serve us food." "What more could we want?" "They built toilets in two days, set up tents in one night." "It was raining and cold." "Thank the Lord, if it wasn't for them..." "They even gave us heating right away." "What are those things called?" "Portable heater thingies." "A few weeks later, the Prime Minister gives them another gift." "The G8 was to be held at La Maddalena, where 300 million euros had already been spent, but no expense is being spared to comfort the victims of the catastrophe." "L'Aquila will have the honour of hosting the world's leaders at a modest additional cost to the taxpayer of 185 million euros, of which 24,000 is for towels," "22,000 for silver Bulgari bowls, 23,000 for barriers with special logos," "64,000 for floral arrangements, 10,000 for ashtrays, 373,000 for Frau armchairs," "12,000 for toner and cartridges, 78,000 for binders and folders, 26,000 for 60 limited-edition pens, and an unspecified sum for an airport unlikely to be used after the G8." "It's an important day because the whole world has seen the hardship here in L'Aquila." "So I think Berlusconi did something positive." "Someone, one of the most important figures, told us that this was the best G8 they have attended." "If I meet him, I'll hug and kiss him." "I'll hug him as if he were my husband or son." "He could be my husband." "I'm only one year older." " Of course." " I love him, for heaven's sake." "Do you think he'd help you if you met him?" "Only his heart knows." "I can't answer that question." "I don't know how he'd react." "He may turn me away or he may hug me." "He could say he doesn't know me and he'd be right." "But..." "What do you think?" " Me?" " Yes." "You're looking at me." "What do you think?" "Operation Earthquake went so well that L'Aquila supports Berlusconi even when the sex scandals that shock the world are revealed." "It emerges that an underage girl is involved." "It emerges that a prosthesis salesman supplies Berlusconi with call girls for his parties... and some of these girls are candidates in the election." "It emerges that Berlusconi's wife wants a divorce because she considers him mentally ill." "It emerges that an escort recorded him in an intimate moment." "May I say something?" "You have to have sex by yourself." "Touch yourself frequently." "The main thing is that the scandals don't affect the European elections." "TV news must not mention them, and only praise the great healer." "For the tenth time, Berlusconi returns to L'Aquila." "Berlusconi's 14th visit..." ""In tents until September" Berlusconi announces during his 15th visit." "Berlusconi's 17th surprise visit to L'Aquila doesn't..." "Berlusconi's 18th visit..." "Berlusconi is satisfied after his 20th visit." "Berlusconi is in Abruzzo, his 24th visit..." "The censorship was so blatant that the director of TG1 News, Minzolini, was forced to defend himself after the elections." "These exaggerations, these trials by media, are irrelevant to the national broadcaster's news service." "In the same week, the USA decided how to regulate the world's savings, the Iran scandal broke and with the G8 summit imminent, it would've been absurd to give space to local gossip, to follow the example of the tabloid press." "The earthquake saves him from an electoral defeat." "No, I don't believe those stories." "Even if there's evidence, recordings and photos?" "I think they're all fake." "They're set up." "How do you know that?" "Because they can't stand Berlusconi." "They're all against him." "They've got it in for him." "So they pay reporters to make the recordings and the rest." " But this harassment..." " It's not harassment." " It's constant torture." " What torture!" " Let him be!" " But it's non-stop with him!" "Thank goodness he likes women and isn't queer!" "Everything okay?" "Where are the women?" "Everyone's gay." "Goodbye." "Thank you very much." "Next time I come, I'll bring the showgirls." "Here, this is the work that was done inside and outside." " How much did it cost?" " 3200 euros." "That work was done by two workmen in two days." "I'd like to show you that when I looked out on the morning of April 6," "I saw this same view you can see and which is exactly the same today." "Nothing has changed." "It's deserted." "No people, no families, no lights, no voices..." "There's nothing!" "Professor Colapietra is the only person who has remained in the town." "In order to stay in his home, which is habitable like many others, he had to fight." "There was a conflict with the Civil Protection and the rescue workers, who came here... and acted with great insistence, with extreme fervour that naturally degenerated into a form of intimidation, albeit unintentional." "They tried to get me to abandon my home for my own safety." "They wanted to save me from the clutches of death, a death which I didn't believe to be imminent." "Nevertheless, the insistence of these people, the spectacle of ten big guys standing in front of me, in front of my home, trying to tear me away from my house, my cats and my books... the pressure they were putting on me," "led me to put my coat on and pick up my usual bag." "When I reached the door a mysterious force, which I believe is my mother, who always intervenes at crucial moments of my life, pushed me backwards and I didn't leave my house." "I bless that force and that moment." "Because once they've got you, that's it." "Once they've got you, that's it." "The first thing we discover is many citizens have the impression they're being held prisoner." "The night they realised that the wire fencing had been cut..." "I cut through the fencing." "They arrived with police cars." "It was night." "They were shouting, swearing." "The army arrived, the police." "From my camper" "I could see all these soldiers running around." "And I thought "Shit, they've seen the wire fence's been cut."" "I didn't know what to do." "So I came out of my camper and said, "Who's there?" "What do you want?"" "And they said "Madam, the fence has been cut!"" "I said "I know, I cut it two months ago because I want to keep my beers cool in the river."" "They said "Aren't you worried strangers will get in?"" ""But there's a river." "How can they?" ""Underwater, breathing through a reed?" "With rubber dinghies?"" "What on earth were they thinking?" "You can't emotionally massacre people." "That's the problem." "They massacre you." "They brainwash you all the time." "Because they have to protect you, but from what?" ""From possible thieves." What would they steal from me?" "Because..." "Where's all this danger?" "My front door was always unlocked." "So was my car." "Still is." "One day I went out and someone said "Where are you going?"" ""Where am I going?" "Are you nuts?" "Butt out!" I told him." "The Civil Protection issued an order banning alcohol in the camps, coffee and Coca-Cola too, to avoid exciting the earthquake victims." "What I resent is this oppressive paternalism." "A memo was sent round the camps, which listed the dietary guidelines for the evacuees, the tent dwellers." "They weren't allowed Coca-Cola, coffee or alcoholic beverages." "Did you read this memo?" "I saw it on the table of... of the "camp head" as I was called, though the term is a bit..." "Some say that this is a trial run for how to suspend rights on a widespread scale." "And since the quake, there has been a suspension of rights." "SHAME!" "How dare you?" "MAKE YOURSELVES AT HOME" " What's the problem?" " You can't put that there." " Why?" " Because I said so." " You can't use a megaphone." " Who made these rules?" " Who made these rules?" " I'm telling you!" "Sorry, but why?" "It's a banner." "Where's the harm?" " Who is she?" " You can do it but I can't?" "We'll decide what needs to be done." "All right?" "No, not at all!" "Shame on you!" "Because we raised our hands during Bertolaso's intervention and asked when we'd be returning to our homes, the police threw us out and asked for our ID." "We just asked a question." "Public meetings were banned in the tent cities." "What do you mean?" "In order to hold a public meeting, you had to ask the camp head for authorisation..." " Even council workers?" " Yes." "How's that possible?" "Because of a clause which states the camps are run like a militarised zone." "Folks, I asked you to leave the camp." " It's important that..." " You can't distribute leaflets." "We're calling the carabinieri." "I'm not afraid to say that I distributed the leaflets sent to us by the committees." " What about the other camps?" " Some of them are inaccessible." " On what basis?" " A rule that doesn't exist." "If you ask "Where is this rule?"..." "It doesn't exist." "They're not stupid." "They can't make a rule." "Seeing there's no court ruling preventing this, then we have to be allowed in the camp to talk to people." "What can you do?" "Either you go... or you stay and do as they say." "They have absolute power." "They're in charge." "They're in charge." "Only government-approved TV stations can attend official events." "Let's recap." "Sky, RAI, Mediaset, La 7." "Can I come in?" "I'm a local reporter." "Can I go in and ask a question?" " No, nobody can ask questions." " Guess I should change jobs, then." "You can follow it on the screens." "Other reporters have to make do with filming the TV." "I'll ask you a harder question now." "Do you think that Berlusconi is a good Prime Minister?" "Yes!" "Then, we'll give the vote to kids aged five and up!" "All right." "All the best to you." "When you go home today, tell your parents that the Prime Minister sends them his best wishes." "Since there are alarming signs and since the Civil Protection has all the power, we start asking about the Civil Protection." "I'm Sabina Guzzanti." "Could I interview you?" "Be patient." "For months, Bertolaso promises to give us an interview." "Not only does he not keep his word, but it seems that our work is constantly obstructed." "The problem is that it's very difficult and complicated to film anywhere." "You can't film inside." "The people in the camp don't want to be photographed or filmed." "I'm sorry." "I don't believe that." "I spoke with many people who were happy to talk." " We have orders not to let you in." " Whose orders?" "Orders from above." "They say it's up to the camp head." "The camp head says we need a permit." "Then they say it's impossible to get a permit." "I can interview anyone if they agree." "Why can't I have a permit to do the interviews?" " I don't know." " Well, then!" "Excuse me but..." " Absolutely." " Absolutely what?" " No filming." " No filming what?" "I said no filming." "Despite the difficulties, we manage to figure out what's going on." "Everyone knows Italy is prone to every sort of natural disaster." "Run!" "Run!" "Holy Mother of God!" "That's why since 1992, a new law states that in an emergency the Civil Protection can act quickly and override normal procedures." "Only in emergencies, though." "In real emergencies, where lives need to be saved." "Berlusconi's experts discover this law in 2001, and listen to what they come up with." "They add the words "big events" alongside "emergencies"." "Why did they do that?" "Because if breaking the law is okay in an emergency, and emergencies equal big events, then the law can be broken during big events." "What does Berlusconi mean by "big events"?" "The government decides what a big event is." "A state of emergency, a precondition to act with dictatorial power, is that which the government considers an emergency." "Not just big events." "If I decide something is an emergency," "I can declare it an emergency, for example, traffic." "This happens in many Italian cities..." "Rome, Naples, Milan, Catania." "Even Venice has gondola traffic emergencies." " Gondola traffic?" " Exactly." "Here's how it works." "Once an emergency is declared," "Berlusconi asks Bertolaso to sign an ordinance nominating a special commissioner for that territory to sort out said emergency, who can make exceptions to the specified rules." "These ordinances have always existed." "Why is there such an uproar against Berlusconi?" "Because no Prime Minister has ever used this power of ordinances so shamelessly." "No one has ever taken advantage of deaths or of real emergencies caused by natural disasters." "The new Civil Protection has endless possibilities." "They can turn the rubbish emergency into a great propaganda operation." "We must not litter anymore." "When I see things on the street, I'm going to pick them up." "The Berlusconi miracle doesn't exist." "He simply removed rubbish from the city centre and took it to the suburban areas around Naples and Caserta." "With the new Civil Protection it's possible to use incinerators to burn what can't be legally burnt." "It's obvious why the citizens protested in Campania." "The government solved the rubbish emergency by legalising what used to be illegal, contaminating aquifers and the air." "The state broke the law and flexed its muscles by sending in the army." "Protesting against the dumps can become a crime punishable by one to five years in jail." "It's not militarisation." "Dumping grounds cannot be a no-man's-land and the object of futile disputes." "We don't want to do this." "Dialogue and discussing problems and their solutions are the paths we want to follow." "For example, the big sporting events." "Few people know this, but I was Deputy Minister for Sport, so I do." "The Civil Protection oversees the world swimming championships." "The new Civil Protection oversees the championships, violating construction codes, and giving millions to private companies for private facilities that won't be used for competition." "I quit about three weeks after Bertolaso arrived." "So I didn't witness all the changes but I knew where we were heading." "It's no longer Civil Protection." "It's ridiculous that we get involved in public works like swimming championships that are scheduled." "Everyone knows when they'll take place." "Those are public works." "Why is the Civil Protection involved?" "It's clearly a way of getting around the law." "It's obvious." "For the world swimming championships, special commissioner Balducci can assign public contracts to his son, allowing him to build in the Tiber's overflow zone." "So this structure was built, thanks to the Civil Protection and the ordinances?" "Absolutely." "It's 161,000 cubic metres with two pools, and 50 rooms that they call "guest rooms"." "A hotel." "It's a hotel with two pools." " So it's not a public place?" " No." "When the courts sided with citizens' groups because these structures were not public, the government responded by inserting two lines in a decree which added the word "private" to the word "public"." "On June 30 of this year, Berlusconi went to great lengths to achieve his idea of state, specifically equating "public" with "private"" "in his new ordinance of June 30." "That's incredible." "How did you discover it?" "We worked with a group of lawyers for a long time..." "How much did it cost you?" "I have to say that the lawyers worked for free, but we spent extra money thanks to another Berlusconi stroke of genius." "Until three months ago, Regional Court appeals cost 500 euros, but thanks to the anti-crisis decree, which is incredible, appeals now cost 1000 euros." "Decrees against the Prime Minister have doubled in cost." "This is a revenue stamp for 500 euros." "Here's another stamp added by a clerk for 500 euros." " You had to pay another 500 euros?" " Yes, unfortunately." "The Deputy Prime Minister sent me to Assisi on Friday night because they had announced a "big event", the Pope's visit to Assisi the following Sunday." "So on Friday we went to see the mayor to tell him that there would be the Pope's "big event" on Sunday." "He didn't know what to do." "We prepared the event in one day." "The Pope came and went." "Is that a "big event"?" "At 4 p.m. on Friday they decided that Sunday would be a "big event"!" "It was simply a way of raising money." "They created a "big event"." "Since the law was modified, 35 big events have taken place." "More than half are religious events." "Fourth centenary of the birth of St Joseph of Cupertino in 2003." "Then there's the canonisation of Josemaria Escriva." "A controversial historical figure, founder of Opus Dei." "Then the beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta in 2003." "Then the Jubilee Year of St Paul, the 24th National Eucharistic Congress in Bari, then in Loreto, Pilgrimage and Assembly of Agora Young Italians." "Celebration of the European Congress for Large Families, held in Rome in August in 2008." "The European Congress for Large Families?" "Pope Benedict XVI's pastoral visit to Brindisi." "Pope Benedict XVI's pastoral visit to Savona... and Genoa." "Pope Benedict XVI's pastoral visit to Cagliari." "Pastoral visit..." "What does the Civil Protection pay for?" "I mean, Civil Protection, my foot!" "What do the Italian citizens pay for?" " For the stage, the venue..." " Everything, the whole event." " Does the Pope pay for his trip?" " Who knows?" "We pay for the organisation of the event." "Everything should be paid by the Vatican through the 0.8% tax law and money from the state." "Instead, the government gives them more money, without discussing if we should give the Church more funds." "I'll put it this way." "The "economic and armed wing" of this government is the Civil Protection." "Because the Civil Protection can do anything, it oversees everything." "Padre Pio, the world swimming championships," "Naples' rubbish." "They oversee everything that normally requires procedure." "With contracts, of course they have to call for tenders, but urgency and emergencies reduce the systems of control." "That's why here in L'Aquila, the Civil Protection can build and can do so with disregard to many building codes." "It can also test out hugely expensive projects for one of its private companies." "Areas with no particular seismic problems are chosen and enormous anti-seismic platforms are built on them, which have a cushion between the houses and the foundations, to separate the houses from the movement." "And they didn't build normal houses on these platforms, which was possible." "They could have built skyscrapers, even." "Instead they built three-storey houses." "They used steel, wood or prefabricated materials, which would withstand an earthquake anyway." " They're super anti-seismic." " Is that why they cost so much?" "Obviously that's one factor." "Taking the estimated budget for this sort of thing, 700 million, and the surface area stated by the Civil Protection, the cost of these structures is 2700 euros per square metre." "That's a huge sum of money." "2,700 euros is unheard of anywhere else in the world." "Houses usually cost 900 to 1000 euros per square metre, especially prefabricated houses in wood and plasterboard, like these." "This is the real challenge." "These dormitory towns will eventually need to be transformed." " Spending more money?" " Of course!" "They've spent 800 million to build the houses, but people will die, being so isolated." "Since the urban fabric of the town has been destroyed, it's hard to find shops." "There are a few open in some areas." "But there are malls." "In fact, these houses have been built right near the malls." "And they want to build more malls." "A certain way of life is substituted for another way of life which isn't better or worse, but no one chose it." "It wasn't chosen democratically." "When the citizens realise how much their lives have changed, the TV cameras will be long gone." "For now, the way housing was discussed convinced most people that they're lucky." "Remember the other earthquakes, where people lived in containers for 30 years?" "Italians remember the shanty towns built after earthquakes years ago." "Propaganda took advantage of this fear." "We don't want shanty towns or tent cities or camper cities, like in the past." "But people were not told that containers were replaced by more comfortable modular units 20 years ago." "In Amsterdam, there's an entire student district of modular units that cost 15,000 euros unlike Berlusconi's 130,000 euro houses." "I don't like the word "container"." "The fact that you don't like this term, has TV given you that message?" "It may have given us this message." " Have you ever seen a container?" " No." " So what don't you like?" " The concept, the whole idea." "Maybe because they keep saying that they're ugly?" "Maybe, yes." "Construction continues." "They work day and night to hand over the first houses in time for Berlusconi's birthday." "On September 29, the day I was born," "I'd like to celebrate my birthday in L'Aquila by handing over the first houses." "From September to December, there'll be a series of unveilings and heavily publicised interventions that will promote him worldwide." "He already announced we're world champions in super-fast construction." "This is the naivety of local institutions and the Left when they think they can compete on this level with a man who is a genius in this sense." "He's a master of swindling and screwing over institutions." "The opposition, here and all over Italy, is defeated." "They're absent when it's time to fight." "They are absent, in general." "A shoe box..." "Empty." "A democratic magazine called Following George Clooney." "A stale egg sandwich, a rubber band..." "Sometimes I think L'Aquila residents are passive, they let themselves be abused, but when I see those who try to act I say" ""I wouldn't want to be in their shoes." Who can they turn to?" "The problem is there are difficulties, objective difficulties." "Being in opposition here is hard." "It's a huge task." "You only do it for your conscience, but it's impossible." " You can't do it because of TV." " TV is too powerful." "Even those without a home are hoping to get one." "It was obvious they were telling porkies, that by September everyone would have..." "It was impossible." "It won't happen." "Some will get homes in September, others in December, maybe even later." "Opposing or arguing was like giving them an alibi." "You see?" "They'd blame the mayor." ""We couldn't do it because that jerk threw a spanner in the works."" "I think..." "I'll be honest with you, in my personal opinion we should've been more far-sighted... and been stronger." "The opposition here, and in the rest of Italy, always wakes up when it's too late." "The Democratic Party tent is always closed." "Every month of the year, every hour of the day." "Here, and throughout Italy, citizens who protest do so alone." "They used us like puppets for their show and they didn't even pay us!" "There are not enough houses for all of us." "Not now, not ever!" "Meanwhile the homeless citizens begin to realise that there are only enough houses for a third of them." "Only three families will be rehoused in October?" " And at the end of November?" " One." "One, two, three... four, five." "So in this camp, we have 20 families to re-house." "That's no joke!" "Not even the homes that could have been fixed inexpensively have been repaired." "The structure of these buildings is solid." "I'm a surveyor." "I'm no fancy expert." "But it would only take 20 days work and about 30 workers." "Local workers, not ones from the north." " Are you owners or tenants?" " We're all owners." "Can't you repair them privately?" "They won't allow us to repair them or to enter." "Yet millions of euros are still being spent for hotels on the coast, where, after many months, people are worn down by solitude and boredom." "For New Year's, they brought in someone to play music." "Do you remember what song the entertainers played?" "Il Cocomero, that summer hit." "They sang that song." "Do you like eating at the restaurant every day?" "We can't afford to buy food." "They give us food here." " Did you cook before?" " Me?" "I used to cook, yes." "I cooked everything myself." "I even had chickens." "When they take you away from a town you love, where you live, where you're happy, where you know everyone, then you miss it." "You think "L'Aquila was wonderful and we didn't know it."" "Now I'm here with all these people." "What can I say?" "What can I say?" "In late September, the first houses are finally assigned." "On his birthday, Berlusconi handed over 400 homes to those made homeless by the Abruzzo earthquake." "Berlusconi celebrates his 73rd birthday." ""Hooray, we did it!" says Berlusconi at the opening ceremony." "He hands over the houses using the experience he gained when he used to build and sell houses himself." "It has two bedrooms and a bathroom and a living room with a kitchenette." "The rooms all look out, onto a communal garden amidst this extraordinary landscape." "This task seemed impossible to achieve but thanks to my experience in construction and real estate..." "Berlusconi's career as a businessman began with a new town..." "Milano 2." "Magistrates investigated the origins of the capital for that construction, to no avail." "Mr Berlusconi was questioned once." "I personally questioned him, or rather, I tried to question him." "Berlusconi, taking advantage of his legal rights, chose to remain silent." "So..." "So when asked where he got the money, he remained silent." "The question wasn't that direct, but anyway..." "While the houses are being handed out, an important witness arrives, Massimo Ciancimino, son of Vito Ciancimino, a convicted Mafioso who died under house arrest in 2001." "Vito Ciancimino was mayor of Palermo, and he always expedited the Mafia's interests by providing them with contracts to build houses how and where they wanted, devastating the city." "The documents his son brings relate to the origins of Berlusconi's fortune." "I'll admit that the fruits of one of my father's investments were reinvested in what is known today as Milano 2." "You're certain?" "I take responsibility for what I say, also because it's on the record." "Everything I've said was written by my father in his notes." "Okay." "I've always said that my father believed in the "brick equation"." "They made money with bricks and used bricks to hide it." "That's what they did and that's why they invested in Milan." "Obviously people like my father didn't invest in the stock market." "They invested in construction where certain families had already expanded." "He invested around one and a half billion lira that brought him a profit of four and a half billion, and it was the same with Bontade." "But it could be said that Berlusconi didn't know." "True." "But my father said the key was reminding him at the right time." "What do you mean?" "Could you explain?" "When there's someone who has this kind of information that only he knows, then he is indispensable to Berlusconi." "Because he can be blackmailed or is there another reason?" " He can be influenced as well." " Influenced." "This method, which my father called the "encirclement method", consists in making yourself indispensable to someone." "This government, more than the others, is engaged in a relentless fight against the Mafia and organised crime." "5.6 billion euros worth of assets have been seized." "1.7 billion euros worth of assets have been seized." "This is the anti-Mafia in action!" "There's a strange situation in Italy." "When it comes to trials, we've obtained a series of judicial successes." "But on the whole, the Italian Mafia system does not seem to be significantly reduced." "In fact, there seems to be an increased vitality, constant renewal." "How does organised crime contribute to the wealth of the nation?" "A research institute quantified the business deals of the Mafia at 150 billion euros per year." "That sum is equivalent to 11% of the gross national product." "That's a very high figure." "So, organised crime is more powerful than any industrial group or..." "Without a doubt." "And these huge profits increase year by year." "Until 2004, that estimate was around 100 billion euros, now it's 150." "And then it's reinvested into the so - called legal economy." "The national economy is gradually contaminated by Mafia capital that alters the rules of the market and the rules of democracy too." "Politics constitutes the main instrument and the condition for the survival of the Mafia." "Because organised crime in our country always needed a political connection in order to survive." "It always needed a political connection and always found one." "Could facilitation in the construction industry lead to increased profits for organised crime?" "It's obvious that any opportunity for investment in the construction sector is embraced by Cosa Nostra." "Especially when the project allows for greater liberalisation and fewer regulations." "Thanks to this docile system," "Berlusconi's plan is to drastically reduce institutional controls on public and private investments." "He uses the success of the Civil Protection's image to attempt a decisive step... transforming the Civil Protection into a joint-stock company." "In this way, Berlusconi can use public money as he wishes, through a structure with a board of directors chosen personally by him, of which he would be the chairman." "Without modifying the formal constitution, the actual constitution of Italy is being modified." "That's terrible." "It's shocking, terrible." "Best wishes, Italians!" "Meanwhile on TV, the delivery of the new houses is celebrated." "The state has a big, important gold medal on its breast, and that is the medal of the miracle performed here in L'Aquila." "A friendly and non-oppressive state that can perform miracles." "Yes, Berlusconi likes talking about miracles." "The miracle many doubted has now been performed." " A symbol..." " Excuse me, Prime Minister." "Applause everywhere, thanks also to the police, who select the guests as if they were nightclub bouncers." "Why?" "Tell me why." "Tell me why." "Why can people go in to applaud but not to boo?" "The rest of Italy thinks the emergency is over, that our problems are solved." "It's not true." "If you knew how much I've suffered from this fucking earthquake." "Nobody ever talks about this." "Everything's fine and dandy." "Everything's fine." "That's the injustice." "While the TV cameras focus on the lucky few who get rehoused, thousands of people are forced, by hook or by crook, to leave the tents without acceptable alternative accommodation." "I have a wife." "When will I see her?" " Please..." " What do you mean, please?" " We're looking for a solution..." " Like hell you are!" "I told you..." "Take your hands off me!" "Please!" "Do me a favour." "Do you have to keep filming?" "We're working." "Go out, please." "Can we talk without the cameras, please?" "Behave differently then." "Please!" "It's not that we don't want to leave." "We have big problems." "That's why we're not leaving the camp." "On October 1 winter begins in L'Aquila, so we decided to close the tent cities on September 30." "Bertolaso says he's closing the tent cities on September 30, but where the hell will we go?" "To far flung hotels?" "Let him go there!" "With regards to the tent cities, if people are determined to stay, we can't do anything about it." "They can stay." "Not true!" "When they interview the tent residents, let's call them "interviews" but they're not really interviews, they start off being nice, very polite," ""We're very sorry" etc." "But when they meet some resistance, their attitude changes." "They make threats." "They say "Leave or we'll take your tent."" ""You can't, it's my home now."" ""Then we'll cut off your power or your food."" "That's what everyone says." "I'm not making it up." "That's violence." "They called about sending us to Pescasseroli, or to the coast." "Since we have dogs, rabbits and chickens, they said I have to go there and he will stay here." "I don't know if that's a proper solution." "They said "Madam, if you have health problems," ""the only solution we have is to put you in a home" ""where you'll get treatment."" "So I said "Do you have a mother?" He said yes." ""Put your mother in a home, then." "I'm not going."" "Why don't the papers talk about the way they conduct interviews?" "The news comes out on the National Press Agency but if I broadcast news, even only on the local news, if they don't like it they'll call me right away." "If they stop you, you should say they stopped you!" "I know it's hard." " Who is it?" "Yes?" " Police." " What do you want?" " Can we talk to you?" "Without coming in, though." "We won't do anything to you." "We want to help." "You can only help me in one way." "Let me remain in my home town." "This apartment is dangerous." "You can't stay here." " Neither can the reporters." " I know it and so do the reporters." "You shouldn't be here either." " This isn't the way to..." " I've been forced to do this." "Because no one can make me leave my town." "No one can tell me, after living in a tent for five months, that I have to go to Castellafiume, 70 kilometres away." "I don't drive and I work in L'Aquila." "Following Guido's extraordinary feat during these ten months, the least we can do, out of gratitude, is to have him nominated minister by the Prime Minister." "Bertolaso is nominated minister." "Meanwhile, Berlusconi's lawyers have just drawn up a new law called "legitimate impediment"" "to prevent his ministers and himself from standing trial." "By transforming the Civil Protection into a joint-stock company," "Berlusconi is one step away from running Italy as his own property." "But when 27 people are investigated, and six arrested, all linked to the Civil Protection, for Berlusconi, it was as if God had destroyed his dreams." "Phone taps came to light of businessmen, judges, politicians and members of organised crime who used the Civil Protection to devour what remains of Italy." " I'll say, they're real gangsters..." " Yeah, well..." "News breaks that Guido Bertolaso is under investigation for corruption, and his offsider, Balducci, for corruption and a prostitution ring involving a chorister at the Vatican." "I wanted to thank you, for now." "Well, for now." "We have..." "He wasn't happy about the decree law, so it was postponed, but everything else is fine." "Okay." "Thanks for everything." "It emerges that contract costs for the G8 summit on La Maddalena were inflated by 80%." "It emerges that one businessman involved was Bertolaso's brother-in-law." "Because he's my brother-in-law, he shouldn't be allowed to work?" "It emerges that an army of 350 escorts was organised by the businessmen to corrupt state officials." " A mega-galactic event." " At your place?" "I'll close early." "Party at the health club." "Great." "Champagne, fruit, some colour, flowers etc." "A recording comes to light of an entrepreneur making sure they clean the room where Bertolaso had a massage." "The health club needs to be cleaned." " There's champagne everywhere." " This one's ready to go." "Throw away the bottle, the glasses." "One more thing." "I looked for condoms but I couldn't find any." "Where did she say she put them?" "Who knows?" "It emerges that since Bertolaso's arrival, the Civil Protection has distributed 10 billion euros avoiding any type of institutional oversight." "The plan to turn the Civil Protection into a joint-stock company is aborted." "The beautiful town of L'Aquila, so ancient, so rich in works of art, looks like this one year after the earthquake." "Buildings, churches, monuments and private homes are in a derelict state." "The historic centre has been abandoned." "This was the idea right from the beginning." "The centre remains as it is and will be tackled months, years, a decade later." "Why would they stop people from living in the centre?" "To make them believe they'd received houses from those in power." "How, where, and when the houses would be allotted by the authorities in charge of rebuilding the town." "Speculation was widespread from portable toilets to wall bracings." "Millions of euros were spent on structural work that already needs to be redone." " Look at the state of this cable." " This one?" "Yes." "Look." " It's not taut." " Not at all." "Every path of access to the town has been blocked by soldiers." "But one day, the order to keep out started to be disobeyed, the day a phone tap revealed a conversation between two contractors linked to the Civil Protection a few hours after the earthquake." "Your department should deal with this earthquake." "We need to get cracking." " Earthquakes don't happen every day." " I know." "I'm just saying..." "Of course I feel bad for them." " Right." " Don't you agree?" "Of course." " I was laughing in bed at 3.30 a.m." " So was I." "Well, bye." "Shame!" "Shame!" "Shame!" "We weren't laughing here!" "No one was laughing!" "No one was laughing here!" "Our children, the citizens, the students, they weren't laughing!" "You ruined our lives before the earthquake and you're doing it now, bastards!" "The Civil Protection protected us before the earthquake, didn't it?" "They said there was no danger!" "There's the danger!" "Our safety!" "They're hoodwinking all of Italy with TV!" "The department should have ensured that emergency plans existed in L'Aquila." "Coordinating the plans is one of their functions." "Why were they involved in the reconstruction but not the prevention?" "The fact is, the earthquake on April 6, was preceded by a series of tremors of increasing strength and frequency." "The Civil Protection had a lot of information on the situation in L'Aquila." "Certainly, from past history, we know that in L'Aquila earthquakes were preceded by considerable seismic activity." "You mean that there had been other earthquakes in L'Aquila..." "Yes, in 1703, in 1461." "These big earthquakes were always preceded by a seismic period of great intensity and length." "Which is similar to what took place before April 6." "So the Civil Protection had a series of scientific studies that described exactly what would happen." "Yes." "There was extensive information available to the Civil Protection about that area." "Having that information, how could they have used it?" "Considering that the period was a long one, four months, they could have taken some initiatives... to put in place precautionary measures." "But instead of dealing with the seismic danger," "Bertolaso was busy with the preparations for the G8 on La Maddalena." "The only precautionary measure was to call together the Great Risk Committee on March 31 2009." "According to what Professor Boschi tells us, the only purpose of this meeting was to quiet the voices of scared citizens." "That is how the commission works." "Matters are discussed and eventually we must come up with a recommendation that's unanimous and as much as possible correct to give to the head of the Civil Protection." "We write a report of four or five lines suggesting actions to be taken." "Is that clear?" "This didn't happen, so it's as if no meeting had been held." "The day of the earthquake, we all went back there and they gave me a report written by I don't know who, poorly written as well..." "To rectify the fact that you'd written no report?" "Yes, but it couldn't be rectified." "If it hasn't been done, it hasn't been done." "You can't..." "It's pointless to write a report on an earthquake that's occurred." "Anyway..." " What the hell happened?" " I have no idea." "It's something that still puzzles me." "At the pointless experts' meeting, engineer Calvi was present." "The man who went on to plan the new town." "The message to the citizens was that there was no need for concern." "The experts say it's normal, just a seismic swarm." "These things don't usually get worse." "They usually fade away." ""Nothing to worry about" says the Civil Protection." "Well done!" "Look how good we are." "Tell the seismologists!" "Those idiots, they said there was nothing to worry about." "No warning, no precautionary measures." "When the tragedy struck, there were only 15 firefighters to help 70,000 inhabitants." " Are the local police here?" " No one is here." "It's dangerous..." " Carabinieri." " Hello?" "A four-storey building collapsed in Via Amiterino." " What do you mean by "collapsed"?" " It's collapsed, all four storeys." "Hello?" " Hello?" " This is..." " It's a disaster." " Where?" "A woman is trapped on the first floor." "Where?" "Our house collapsed." "It collapsed around us." "Everything's destroyed." "Let me know." "They're saying entire buildings have collapsed on Via 20 Settembre." "Call the firefighters." "I can't remember the number." "It's 115, but the lines are busy." "We're trapped." "As we're walking, we're being told there are people buried under the ruins here." "Holy Mary!" "There's a young man under a car." " Under a car?" " You've got to hurry." "Try to understand, we're busy." "The road's blocked, the square's destroyed, people are screaming." "How could my brother have escaped that hell?" "He couldn't have saved himself." "We could have saved ourselves if we'd been smarter and left." "Why did I believe what they told me?" "Why?" "No one would've stayed home if they'd been warned." "Our grandparents, who were illiterate, would immediately make us leave the house." "They'd wrap us up, put us in the car and drive us to isolated spots." "I always remember that my father, at the first sign of an earthquake, would make us put on our coats and go." "I don't think that the head of any family would remain at home knowing it was dangerous." "Choosing to condemn a huge number of people with the excuse of not creating panic seems to me like a horrific thing." "They told us everything was normal." ""There's no danger." "Nothing's out of the ordinary."" "I'm still really angry, even now." "Yes, I'm still angry." "Giustino Parisse is a journalist." "His newspaper, in good faith, published the Civil Protection's advice, reassuring the people." "He reassured his children too, and lost them." "That's the tragic thing." "That everyone, almost everyone was sure that there wouldn't be a big tremor." " You too?" " Especially me." "That night, after the second tremor, I got up." "My son came out of his room" "and said, "I'm fed up with this earthquake!"" "Those were his exact words, his last words that night." "I went into my daughter's room and she was awake too." "I cuddled her." "I reassured her." "And she said "We're all going to die now anyway."" "That happened at 12.45 a.m. on the morning of April 6." " Why didn't she get up?" " Because I reassured her." "I reassured her." "And she trusted her father." "That's why I feel guilty." "I'm a victim of disinformation because I believed what I'd been told." ""Wishing you health and happiness in your new home, Silvio Berlusconi."" "We'll put it there." " Sparkling wine too?" " Here it is." " Didn't you drink it?" " It's a souvenir." "If Silvio comes, we'll drink it with him." " Could he come back?" " He often comes." " Show us what you found." " We found all sorts of stuff." "Starting with pots, utensils, pans..." " Excuse me, Mum." " Go ahead." "A whole set of pans, a salad bowl, a knife block, jars... trivets..." "Sheets, pans, cups..." "This nice tablecloth." " Everything." " Napkins..." "What else?" "Shelves, a TV..." "Everything." "A coffee maker... coffee cups... these ones and others, even extra glasses for guests." "Cutlery for six people, a sugar jar, two salad bowls, small, large etc..." "An iron, which I was impressed with, a hairdryer, a broom, a dustpan to collect the dirt, a mop and floor cloths," "I was impressed with that too." "They're little details one wouldn't expect to find." "For example, I never expected to find a toilet brush as well, yet it was there!" " Everything." " Blankets, linen, duvets." " Everything." " Bedside lamps." "Just all the furniture." " Meaning?" " The plants are ours." "The personal touches are ours." "There's a great man in the world who performs miracles..." "Berlusconi." "That's the truth." "To think that in May, this was just countryside where potatoes and corn grew." " It was agricultural land." " Yes, it was abandoned." "But it was farmed." "Yes, but no one lived here." "It was open countryside." " Is that the bottle chiller?" " Yes." " With all the coats of arms?" " Yes." "The Civil Protection." "The New Houses Project and the symbol of the Republic." "It uses three basic elements." "The antidote to fear, so protection, the symbol of civilisation and the symbol of nationality." "Probably in ten years' time, these things will become a single form of power." "Those who are here today will get here thanks to this." "Will you keep this object?" " I can't throw it away." " No?" "Everything that was here when we arrived must remain in the house." " Even that?" " I don't know." "I'll keep it." " I don't want to risk..." " That they'll charge you for it!" "When we leave, we have to give everything back." "They made a list of everything." "If I use the bed sheets for a year, then I leave," "I'll have to buy new ones because they'll be old." " No, I don't think so." " Don't bed sheets get old?" "Did they say they have to be brand new?" " We have to give everything back." " In perfect condition?" "I don't know if that includes bed linen." "You can't make holes in the walls, right?" "You can't hang pictures?" "We could, but they said it's best we don't." "So if I need to put in a nail, when we leave the house we have to fill in the hole or paint the walls." "We have to hand the house back in the same condition we found it." "If I spill some water, I clean it immediately for fear it'll leave a stain." "I'm a slave." "I don't feel comfortable." "How come?" "It doesn't feel like mine." "I feel like a guest here." "That's how the lovely town of L'Aquila was subdued." "In the same way as our young democracy." "An entire town was sacrificed to boost the popularity of a man who must guarantee illicit earnings for those who prop him up." "A futile sacrifice, because after the Civil Protection scandals and all the others, his popularity has gone down again." "Who knows at what price it will rise?" "I thought two things." "Firstly, if I were 25, I'd leave." "Because when this happens there's nothing to do, you may as well leave." "Then I thought... it's a kind of shit dictatorship but without torture." "The army isn't outside my house." "I won't get arrested if I say certain things." "I'll be insulted, but not arrested." "They won't torture me or beat me." "Maybe I would have stayed even if I was 25, because it's a shit dictatorship." "But you don't have the strength to oppose it beyond a certain point." "I spoke to many people who endured dictatorships and they told me that the decline of certain honest people became evident when, years later, after one or two years, they'd still be saying "Now it's going to fall, it can't last."" "That's the great illusion." "That what is empty, phoney, cannot last." "It's not true." "It can last." "Subtitles by Austieri for KG"