Ready to continue Riace model - Lucano

(ANSA) - Raggio Calabria, October 16 - Riace Mayor Domenico Lucano, who was recently arrested over allegations of aiding illegal immigration, said Tuesday that he was ready to continue the southern town's widely lauded model to integrate migrants without public money.
    Central government is set to scrap the 'SPRAR' projects to help migrants, 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.
    "Riace represents an idea that goes against the barbarian civilization," Lucano said after a court hearing in Reggio Calabria.
    "We'll keep going the same even without public contributions, because over the years we have built supports to integration that today make the difference on our own.
    "We won't have a SPRAR (centre) but voluntary reception, as it started, without public money.
    "We want to sent this message to the government.
    "We want to exit the SPRAR system".