Rome, 8 July (LaPresse) – ‘The signing of the agreement today? I categorically rule it out.’ This was the statement made by the President of the Puglia Region, Michele Emiliano, upon arriving at the Mimit table to discuss the programme agreement on the former Ilva. Emiliano believes that more time is needed: ‘Today,’ he explained, "we must address the issue, bearing in mind that we are not our own masters. We must report back to our governing bodies and talk to the unions, so I don't think we will reach a conclusion today. However,‘ he added, ’decisive steps can be taken to then present this plan to the unions and businesses to see if they agree, to see if the municipal councils and parliamentary bodies agree. In two days' time, we have a parliamentary hearing in which we should all speak to parliament about what is happening." ‘Therefore,’ explained the governor, ‘I rule out the possibility of signing today, but decisive steps can be taken to reach a signature as quickly as possible, provided that the programme agreement is not a mockery of the local community.’