Free Trieste

29 April 2012 — Let us save the Northern Free Port!

Our 2nd demonstration to save the Northern Free Port

The Northern Free Port of Trieste.

Trieste, April 29th, 2012. – Today Free Trieste held its second demonstration to defend the Northern Free Port, a strategic sector of the international Free Port of Trieste. The port area is under threat because of illegal measures that suspend its free zone status, issued by the Commissioner of the Government in breach of the 1947 Treaty of Peace and of the 1954 MoU regarding the Free Territory of Trieste.

More than 200 citizens are demanding the re-establishment of the rule of law within this precious, constrained sector of the most important State corporation of the Free Territory of Trieste.

Local politicians, across the board, are since long attempting to dismiss the Northern Free Port (going as far as calling it “porto vecchio” as in “old port” to persuade unaware citizens that it is useless), all to turn it into an urban area. All while making the Southern home to a dangerous LNG plant.

Both projects are illegal, and both would sentence the firmer first port of Austria-Hungary and Central Europe to death. Indeed, Trieste’s precious freight traffic has already been diverted to Italian ports.

Free Trieste stands for legality: the re-establishment of the rule of law is the only path to bring back wealth and jobs, not only for Trieste, but also for its neighbor States.

The 1947 Treaty of Peace with Italy grants special port rights to many States: Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Austria, and Hungary can register their ships in the Free Territory (annex VI, art. 33.2):

Article 33.

1. The Free Territory is entitled to open registers for the registration of ships and vessels owned by the Government of the Free Territory or by persons or organisations domiciled within the Free Territory.

2. The Free Territory shall open special maritime registers for Czechoslovak and Swiss ships and vessels upon request of these Governments, as well as for Hungarian and Austrian ships and vessels upon the request of these Governments after the conclusion of the Treaty of Peace with Hungary and the treaty for the reestablishment of the independence of Austria respectively.

Ships and vessels entered in these registers shall fly the flags of their respective countries.

Furthermore, the Treaty established an International Commission to manage the Free Port. The International Commission is chaired by the representative of the Free Territory (annex VIII, art. 21):

1. There shall be established an International Commission of the Free Port, hereinafter called “the International Commission”, consisting of one representative from the Free Territory and from each of the following States: France, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United States of America, the People’s Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, provided that such State has assumed the obligations of the present Instrument.

2. The representative of the Free Territory shall be the permanent Chairman of the International Commission. In the event of a tie in voting, the vote cast by the Chairman shall be decisive.

Photos of the demonstration: