A group of nuns in Spotorno, Italy, is at the centre of a dispute with local authorities over their beach club, which has funded charitable activities for decades. The nuns, from the Suore di Carità di Santa Maria order, have managed the Bagni Gino Garrone beach resort since 1946, using the proceeds to support an infant school and summer camps. However, local council plans to reclassify the beach as a ‘free equipped beach’ mean they must enter a public bidding process to retain it.
The nuns argue that this change threatens their ability to continue funding their charitable work, as operating under the new classification would significantly reduce their income. The mayor, Mattia Fiorini, insists that all beach concessions must comply with EU regulations, a move aimed at increasing competition among beach operators. This situation highlights the tension between local governance, EU regulations, and the unique role of charitable organisations in providing community services.
As the EU’s Bolkestein directive pressures Italy to open up beach concessions to public tender by 2027, this case may set a precedent for how similar disputes are handled across the country. The outcome could have wider implications for other charitable organisations relying on income from such concessions, as they navigate the shifting regulatory landscape.
The public tender is set to be issued this autumn, and the nuns are determined to fight for their right to maintain control over the beach, arguing that their charitable mission should not be compromised by regulatory changes. This conflict underscores the ongoing struggle between commercial interests and social missions in Italy’s beach tourism sector.
Source: The Guardian
