After the 5 Star town we’ve got the 5 star condominium. That location - where you get knifed for a name on the speaker system, for children that are playing or for the volume of the radio - can become our Shangri La. The myth of the Italian condominium that has given birth to unforgettable scenes like Fantozzi’s meeting of the condominium residents and the couple of butchers, Olindo and Rosa, a place of suspicion and of social nastiness …

can be transformed into a laboratory of the New Italy. If the residents of the condominium change, everything else is plain sailing. “First they ignore you, then they deride you and then they fight you. Then you win.” They will never give up (but is it in their interests?). Neither will we.

”Dear Beppe,
Three weeks ago, with the councillors Matteo Olivieri and Davide Valeriani, I presented to the town and the West and North East constituencies, motions to bring in the idea of the “Virtuous condominiums” also called “5 star condominiums”. A concept that, starting with the meeting of the condominium residents in a spontaneous and non-obligatory way and in collaboration with associations of farmers, environmentalists, consumers, condominium administrators takes on useful actions that are shared like:
- Fittings to aereate the water for taps to save up to 50% on usage of drinking water (the water that the PDL and the Lega are privatising)
- Installation of energy-saving bulbs or LEDs in lights on the outside of the condominium to reduce the energy consumption and the expense
- Domestic composting for the condominium (discount of 20% on the costs) to reduce the organic waste and create natural fertilizer for the garden.
- Creating solidarity purchasing groups among the resident of the condominium to buy goods
- Promote the exchange of objects among the residents of the condominium
- Energy “audit” of the building to work out how to do a better job of insulating the structures and reduce energy consumption and heat loss
- Create a small space for a common kitchen garden, etc.
In a few words, you’re saving and helping the environment with small daily actions that have been decided together and people are going back to talking to each other. A virtuous path, difficult in certain situations but we believe of great civility. A path that is appreciated to such an extent that a Facebook group, inspired by the “Five Star Condominium” idea has got 1,645 supporters among the citizens. In this group, various citizens are giving concrete examples of what they are already doing.
The proposal put forward in Reggio’s West constituency will now be examined by the commission to have a look at certain initiatives that can get this idea of good citizenship off the ground with some condominiums in our constituency.
From the moment that the PDL leader Primo Berti was giving lectures in the newspapers about the time wasted in the constituency, the citizens “in primis” his electors, have to know how he carries out his duties inside a body that represents 38,000 citizens even with limited resources and competencies. For you there’s the reply from PDL leader Primo Berti in the West constituency … Recording of the session on 23 November already on YouTube.
Berti PDL leader finds no other arguments to criticise these practical proposals to save the citizens money by saying that it’s a matter of “violation of the private sphere”, "hot air" and he proposes reading a message thinking that he is being ironical (he’s the only one laughing), “vending machines for condoms, machines for distributing 500 euro notes, a room for inflatable dolls where the inhabitants can fight loneliness, lessons in the rain dance, bumper cars in the condominium …” Listen to believe. All during a session of the Council.
For me personally as the father of a family this response has made me sad, even because in my little sphere of a condominium of 8 apartments where we live, we have managed to decide together to put in a well for rain water, a common compost station for domestic waste and a small kitchen garden.
But this is the lack of seriousness and lack of education with which signor Primo Berti often tackles the topics put forward by other people within the West constituency.
Criticism of every proposal is legitimate. We are the first to use sarcasm and irony but outside the institutions. Inside the institutions from the towns to the constituencies, going right through to Parliament and the Regional Council, I believe that it is always necessary to engage seriously with the concrete proposals. First of all out of respect for the citizens who are the voters who are also taxpayers who are paying for the functioning of these bodies.” Vito Cerullo, councillor in the West constituency, Lista Civica Reggio 5 Stelle Beppe Grillo.

Join the "Condomini a 5 stelle" Facebook group.