(ANSA) - Palermo, February 7 - Italian singer-songwriter and
Sicily Culture Councilor Franco Battiato said Thursday that his
office's coffers were empty, forcing him to turn down an offer
to host a major international music awards event.
"We had to say no thank you to someone who wanted to
organize the event in Taormina. You know why? Because we don't
have one euro to invest," he said.
"It would have been a phenomenal party, we would have sold
the rights all over the world, but instead we had to say no".
Sicily Governor Rosario Crocetta named Battiato to his
council in November.
Battiato, who is also a painter and filmmaker, said the
region would appeal to the European Union for funds.
The region has been particularly hard-hit amid Italy's
recession and the euro crisis, with alarmingly high unemployment
and a public debt that required a 400-million-euro stop-gap
transfer from the Italian government this past summer.
Brochure: 
