If the institution sponsors an event, it is entitled to guaranteed seats and tickets. In summary, this is the Mayor of Turin Stefano Lo Russo’s response to the controversy surrounding tickets for the city’s VIPs to Eurovision 2022.
Today, La Stampa reported the news of over a thousand complimentary tickets being distributed to the community and region, specifically to councillors, relatives, friends, collaborators and public figures. Interviewed by Radio Capital about the song contest, the mayor answered a question on the very subject: “Noi as an institution, together with others, we made a significant contribution to the economic coverage of Eurovision – he said – in this regard, we were entitled to tickets to the event and we decided to give a ticket to all 700 volunteers working on its realization. In addition, further tickets were given to the representatives of the institutions, and still others to city officials by lottery. I myself then invited some fellow mayors, as well as the president of the region, who I believe invited other presidents ».
And on the emerging controversies, he added: «The city council is a person elected by the citizens of the institutions, I think it’s right that he can take part in such an event. Municipal employees are taxpaying citizens like everyone else, although I understand the controversy. But times are short and we have decided to support the employees of our institution. But I still understand that any decision we make would be criticized. However, I believe that we made a good choice of equity ».