Farmers Demand €1M Compensation After Land Expropriation Delays

In 1993, in order to allow the construction of the bypass, they had to give up part of their land. Eight years later, they still have not received the agreed compensation. Now, the farmers, after threatening with fire and fury, have decided to move from words to deeds. With the advice of a lawyer and Coldiretti, they have demanded immediate payment.

They did so with a letter to Anas di Milano and to the company that carried out the work. For their awareness, they also sent a copy to the prefect.

Content of the letter and farmers’ demands

The letter briefly recounts the sequence of events, highlighting, among other things, that for the acquisition of the land, “a decree of expropriation has never been issued and the agreed compensation has never been paid.” From this, they announce that “if there is no response within 30 days of receiving this letter, legal action will be taken to seek compensation for the illegitimate occupation and seizure of the land.”

They request the immediate payment of the unpaid compensation, reserving the right to claim damages for the greater harm suffered. Carlo Anselmi, Vice Director of Coldiretti, recalled that a specific law quantifies substantial damages for illegal land occupation.

He also clarified that if 30 days pass without response, an additional sum, including accrued interest, can be claimed. If legal action is taken, it would be accompanied by a large protest demonstration.

Situation of the farmers and attempts at resolution

The farmers involved in this endless saga are the owners of about forty farms. They have quickly obtained 80 percent of the compensation; however, they have never received the balance, which, according to a rough estimate, should total around one billion lire.

There have been repeated meetings on the matter, especially in the latter part of 2000. The most attended gatherings took place at the former Menghini orphanage, with the presence, on some occasions, of Mayor Arturo Sigurtà, who also actively worked at the regional level.

It appears that the Anas division does not have the financial resources for such payments. This could explain why the road authority has not acted on the repeated requests from the farmers, trade associations, and even the prefect (who had authorized the expropriations).

At this point, it cannot be excluded that the controversial case will end up in court.