Somma - Prima pietra per la nuova caserma dei Baschi Rossi

Where the first airplane built in Italy took off over a century ago, a new challenge for territorial security begins today. At Cascina Malpensa (Case Nuove di Somma Lombardo), the cornerstone was laid for the future barracks of the Carabinieri Helicopter Squadron "Cacciatori delle Alpi," the specialized unit that will be called upon to combat drug dealing in the woods and the most difficult-to-reach forms of crime. It was a moment of strong symbolic value, attended by the Carabinieri's Commander General, Salvatore Luongo, and the Minister of Economy, Giancarlo Giorgetti. "History ceases to be a story and becomes reality," said Luongo, recalling the origins of the Cacciatori units and their role in finding fugitives and defending the territory. The new facility, he explained, will be "a center of excellence" capable of combining tradition, advanced technologies, and new operational capabilities. For Giorgetti, the barracks represent much more than a public project: "It's not a cost to the state, but an investment in community safety." A project born from grassroots requests, spearheaded for two long years by Northern League MP Stefano Candiani, and supported by institutions to strengthen the state's stable presence in the areas most vulnerable to drug dealing. Within five years, the facility is expected to house approximately one hundred military personnel. This facility will serve not only the Varese area but much of Northern Italy, breathing new life into a place that has shaped the history of the national air force and is now preparing to become a hub in the fight against crime. Lined up under a scorching sun were soldiers from the Varese Provincial Command, the Operational Intervention Teams of the 3rd Carabinieri Regiment "Lombardy," Carabinieri Hunters from the four squadrons "Calabria," "Sardinia," "Sicilia," and "Puglia," as well as a patrol of mounted Carabinieri and the Fanfare of the aforementioned 3rd Carabinieri Regiment. The ceremony began with a moving flag-raising ceremony to the tune of the Italian National Anthem. After the symbolic laying of the cornerstone by Minister Giorgetti and General Luongo, the barracks were blessed by Monsignor Gabriele Gioia in the presence of parliamentarians, military officials, and local authorities. The Honorable Stefano Candiani was absent from the ceremony, as he was in Milan for the Festa della Lombardia, where his father Carlo Candiani received a special mention from the President of the Region at the Rosa Camuna Awards ceremony.