In Lonato del Garda, local merchants are in revolt against the municipal administration due to the disruptions caused by numerous road construction sites and the closure of the central square for the “Lonato Music Festival.” The protest culminated with the threat of not paying the Tari, the waste tax. The first evening of the music festival, scheduled for Friday, June 8, 2024, in Piazza Martiri della Libertà, has raised concerns among local businesses. They complain that the event, instead of benefiting local commerce, worsens the situation by further blocking access to the historic center.
The discontent was expressed through a protest letter addressed to the Municipality and signed by several merchants. Bruna Luisa Tosi, one of the promoters of the initiative, emphasized how the ongoing road works and the closure of main roads are causing economic damage to commercial activities. Nicola Marchesini, president of the merchants’ association, criticized the organization of the festival for not involving the merchants in the decision-making process and for overlapping events on the same date. The issue will now be discussed with neighborhood representatives in the hope of finding a shared solution.
Italian Version
