(Jamma) «We have just completed the round of all public exercises twice and now we are starting the third round of reports». Illustrating the status quo regarding the fight against slot machines in city bars is the deputy commander of the municipal police, Martin Schwienbacher in an article published in the online newspaper Alto Adige. There are still 115 outlawed establishments, four were forced to remove the vending machines after the official - written - threat of closure, for another six the same procedure has already been started.
Right now, 27 appeals are pending before the justice of the peace, presented by those who do not want to pay the bill of sanctions. For 26 public places, however, the ordinance requiring the removal of the vending machines is on its way: those who do not comply close. They will all arrive at their destination by mid-July. By mid-August they will have to adapt.
Machines within a 300m radius of sensitive locations. Initially the bars that did not comply by removing the devices were 124. Those currently outlawed are 115. «We have already completed the tour of all the premises - Schwienbacher specifies - twice and we have started the third round of reports. In this last round we recorded thirty establishments».
For another 10 Bolzano venues, «the procedure for removing the slots has been activated. Following the removal order, for now three bars have adapted". Threatened with closure, they removed the vending machines. «Then there is a fourth place that has removed the slot machines because the Tar has not granted the suspension. For the moment, they have had to adapt ».
Now, always following the same script imposed by administrative regulations, the procedures aimed at the removal of another 26 premises are being started. «The ordinances will start in the next few days; they should all arrive by mid-July. At that point, locals will have 30 days to remove the vending machines." After a month, during which in theory it will be possible to appeal, we will have to adapt. So far, those who have received the ordinance, intimidated, have complied. "27 appeals are pending before the justice of the peace, which are very busy the municipal lawyers, as well as four other offices which, in fact, are dealing almost exclusively with this matter". However, these are exclusively proceedings initiated to contest the reports or the payment order. "No one has opposed the removal order under penalty of closure."
The Tar, for now, "has not granted suspensions". Meanwhile, intimidated, someone else removed the machines of his own free will. The checks continue, «at a constant pace. We will continue until some administrative authority suspends a proceeding. Someone had missed us, but we went to see all the bars. No one escapes." There is no persistence, "but we must apply the provisions of the law".
