ABSTRACT: In replying to the open letter of Mauro Mellini, Radical Party First Secretary Sergio Stanzani first of all states that it is not in his power to change the site of the Congress (Zagabria) because it was fixed by the Bologna Congress and later by the Federal Council. Mellini should have contested the choice of Zagabria on that occasion. For the rest, he will pass on the questions raised in the letter to the Congress for debate.

(Notizie Radicali no. 26 of November 30, 1988)

Comrade Mellini asks me not to hold the congress in Zagabria. Practically speaking, Mellini maintains, to hold the congress in Zagabria is tantamount to not holding it at all.

First of all I must tell comrade Mellini that I cannot call off the Zagabria congress. The decision to not hold it in Italy was taken by the Bologna Congress. The mandate to hold it in Zagabria was given to me by a Federal Council and confirmed by another Federal Council which discussed at length ideas similar to Mellini's which were expressed by other comrades but in the end disapproved and rejected. Mellini would have done well to participate in these meetings since the Federal Council is the only organ authorised to decide on such points as well as being an entirely legitimate organ, elected by the congress in respect of the rules we have made for ourselves. If Mellini had been present at the Federal Council meetings he would have also have noted that never before had this organ played its part so relevantly and usefully with regard to both the attendance and assiduousness of its members as well as to the level and quality of the debate.

In the second place, I can assure comrade Mellini and all others that the congress will take place and it will be a true congress. We will do everything in our power to hold it in Zagabria and I hope we will succeed. But if technical problems beyond our control end by not allowing it to take place, it would be the Federal Council to decide on calling the congress. And it would be a postponement in real time - that is to say the time strictly necessary for organising and convening it.

For the rest, the open letter contains entirely legitimate opinions all of which regard the debate in congress. They are not new opinions and the are consistent with what Mellini has repeatedly maintained within the party before, during and after the Bologna Congress. It is not up to me to reply. But Mellini and all other comrades must in honesty recognise that I - and the rest of the Secretariat - were elected to implement a different policy.