Michele Bollettieri, the strange case of the consul of Russia and San Marino
the case
noonApril 8, 2022 – 10:34 am
Here is the paradox of Michele Bollettieri from Bari, a personality esteemed for balance and the numerous cooperation activities put in place, catapulted in spite of himself into a rather uncomfortable position
Of Vito Fatiguso
Honorary consul of who, due to the landscape conflict, have quite contrasting positions (at least in this historical moment) and destined to persist. This is the paradox of Michele Bollettieri from Bari, a personality esteemed for his balance and the numerous cooperative activities put in place, despite him being catapulted into a rather uncomfortable position. In fact, since 1997 he has been honorary consul of the Republic of San Marino (as well as a great officer of the Italian Republic and of the order of Sant’Agata of the Republic of San Marino). A role that was “enhanced” with the appointment, on November 27, 2017, of the consul of the Russian Federation of the Bari office. The war breaks, but like Switzerland, San Marino is also a historically neutral country on every war front. Yet, the situation changes quickly: the small state between Marche and Romagna, without an army, marries the line of sanctions against Russia after the invasion of Ukraine. A choice that inevitably creates embarrassment. Even more so if we consider that the two realities have intensely collaborated with Covid-19 in the difficult days of the pandemic. Russia sends the Sputnik vaccine, strengthening an ancient institutional relationship. We must send a strong signal of defense of those principles – they made it known in recent days by the government of San Marino – and we must not simply be neutral and passive with respect to what is happening near us.
History
May the embarrassment grow in the facts. Gone are the times when there was the inauguration of the Bari headquarters with a ceremony at the Petruzzelli theater (May 2018). Present were the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Italian Republic, Sergey Razov, the president of the Puglia Region, Michele Emiliano, the mayor of Bari and president of Anci, Antonio Decaro. The consulate – Bollettieri said – will be a tree of the culture of peace planted in the middle of the community, close to the Basilica of San Nicola, and will be watered with enthusiasm and faith, because from the city of San Nicola there is a gigantic social institution capable to exert pressure on governments and political classes in favor of peace and understanding between peoples. To Razov Emiliano, who broke the protocol, addressed himself by name: I violate the ceremonial because I want to make it clear that between us there are true and authentic human relationships. The war changed the cards on the table, creating a transversal embarrassment. Thus it will be up to the dialoguing Bollettieri to find a solution: representing two realities in such disagreement may no longer be so simple.
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April 8, 2022 | 10:34
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