Mayor released from house arrest, leaves Riace

(ANSA) - Riace, October 17 - Riace Mayor Domenico Lucano has been released from house arrest imposed over allegations he was aided illegal immigration and left the southern town early on Wednesday to comply with an court order banning him from staying there, sources said. However, Lucano's partner, who is under investigation for the same allegations regarding involvement in marriages of convenience to obtain resident permits, is staying in Riace. She has been ordered to regularly sign in with the authorities.
    Central government is set to scrap the 'SPRAR' projects to help migrants in Riace, citing alleged "serious anomalies". The government has been accused of dismantling the Riace model, which saw migrants help revive the small town in Calabria whose population was dwindling, by several critics. On Tuesday Lucano said that he was ready to continue the southern town's widely lauded model to integrate migrants without public money.