Matera 2019 tourism councillor resigns amid political infighting

Adriana Poli Bortone resigned as tourism councillor of Matera on March 2018, citing a breakdown of conditions to work in the city's interest. The resignation is particularly significant as Matera is the 2019 European Capital of Culture. Poli Bortone, a former Italian Minister of Agricultural Resources (1994-1995) and mayor of Lecce (1998-2007), was appointed in June 2017 by Matera's mayor Raffaello De Ruggieri as part of a broad coalition including the Democratic Party (PD). She claims the PD blocked a cultural programming resolution that would have set events through 2020, including monthly themes like 'woman' in March, 'myths and rites' in April, and 'youth' in May. She also launched a project called 'Matera Mediterranea' for long-term economic development beyond 2019. Poli Bortone advises her successors to continue long-term planning and not focus solely on 2019 events.