European Commission President
Jean-Claude Juncker on Tuesday reaffirmed a pledge to help
rebuild the basilica in Norcia, destroyed by last year's
earthquakes. Writing to local bishop Renato Boccardo, Juncker
said he was "deeply convinced that the reconstruction of the
Basilica of St Benedict is not only a dutiful sign of solidarity
on the part of the Union towards the community of Norcia and
Umbria but also an emblematic action in the need to rebuild the
cultural, social and historical heritage as a premise for the
full recovery of economic activity". Juncker wrote to Umbria
Governor Catiuscia Marini in December
confirmed that the EU executive intends to pay for the
reconstruction of the church, which was destroyed by an
earthquake in October, one of a series of devastating quakes to
hit central Italy last year, including one in August that
claimed almost 300 lives.
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