Bari: “inappropriate” Anti-Mafia hearing for Emiliano, but Commission will summon him
The president of the Puglia Region Michele Emiliano wrote to the Parliamentary Commission Anti-mafia, who in recent days had decided to hear him as part of the ongoing investigation into the Bari case and the alleged infiltrations, underlining the political inappropriateness of his hearing at this stage in consideration of the no-confidence motion which will be discussed in the regional council next week. According to what beraking latest news learns from sources in the presidential office of the Anti-Mafia Commission itself, which met today and where the communication received from the governor was discussed, the majority agreed However, it was decided to proceed with the immediate summoning of Emiliano.
From a reconstruction of the Anti-Mafia Commission’s presidential office, in fact, Emiliano received a range of 5 dates, the first three as also requested by the Democratic Party, in the week following this one and said he was unable to participate due to the concomitance of the vote of no confidence in the regional council. He was therefore given other options for April 30 and May 2. In the note the governor instead expressed reasons of political inappropriateness for the days 7, 8 and 9 May. In the bureau, according to what we learn from sources of the Commission itself, a majority agreed that the non-convocation would have created a previous danger of avoiding the convocation. Following the line of political inappropriateness, according to the same sources, would, yes, put the Anti-Mafia on the same level as normal politics, which is not considered acceptable.
In the bureau, therefore, by majority vote it was decided to proceed with the summons and in these hours Emiliano will be summoned before the Anti-Mafia, chaired by Chiara Colosimo, not next week when the no-confidence vote against him will be discussed in the legislative assembly, but this same week.
Bari, Emiliano: “Always available for Anti-Mafia hearings, no to exploitation”
“I read some press agency releases in which they refer to my alleged unavailability at the hearing at the Parliamentary Anti-Mafia Commission. The circumstance is false and maliciously represented”. Thus the president of the Puglia Region Michele Emiliano. “For this purpose I had fortunately sent – he adds – a letter to the President of the Anti-Mafia Commission asking her to keep my Anti-Mafia hearing separate from the debate in the Regional Council on the no-confidence vote to avoid the exploitation of the parliamentary investigative act with the activity of the regional council, to avoid media maneuvers which I see are regularly occurring. The Anti-Mafia Commission is a third party, which has the same powers and an investigative function comparable to that of the Judiciary. Not only must it be third – concludes Emiliano – but it must appear as such”. Emiliano reports the full text of the letter, sent on 24 April and says he is forced to make it known to everyone “due to the exploitation that already seems to have started”.
In the letter sent to the president of the parliamentary commission of inquiry into the phenomenon of the mafia and other criminal associations, including foreign ones, which had summoned him for the alternative dates of 7, 8 or 9 May, Emiliano explained that “unfortunately the Regional Council meeting is scheduled for 7 May in which we will begin to deal with the motion of no confidence presented by the opposition against me. This circumstance – he specified – risks creating an involuntary connection, I repeat, although without anyone’s will, between my hearing and the council debate on trust a mix between the investigative needs of the Commission and the council dynamics immediately preceding and following the vote of confidence, also in order to avoid political exploitation, always possible by the majority or the opposition, of such an important hearing”, underlines Emiliano.
“I therefore feel the institutional need to subsequently prepare and manage – Emiliano wrote – the outcome of the motion of no confidence, keeping it clearly distinct from my hearing in the Anti-Mafia Commission. It would therefore benefit everyone’s serenity if I could face the hearing at the Anti-Mafia Commission in times and ways that are significantly different from the motion of no confidence. Unless there are objective needs of extreme urgency which in the light of my knowledge do not appear to exist. It follows my request to be able to postpone my hearing to a time and context – the president insisted – which excludes the risk feared above”.
Bari, Emiliano: “Always available for Anti-Mafia hearings, no to exploitation”
“We would thus avoid exploitation before and after the Regional Council meeting“, explained Emiliano. “The serenity of the very important Regional Council session must therefore also be ensured with the collaboration of the Anti-Mafia Commission whose purpose, as I know well, is certainly not to amplify the political controversy connected to the discussion of the motion of no confidence. As with any third party, the Commission must not only be third party (and no one doubts this), but it must also appear as such. I trust that my request will be accepted – he concluded – dictated only by my responsibility for the best functioning of the institutions of the Puglia Region”.
Anti-Mafia Commission summons Emiliano for May 2nd at 10.30 am
The Anti-Mafia Parliamentary Commission, chaired by Chiara Colosimo, has summoned the president of the Puglia Region Michele to a hearing on May 2nd at 10.30 am. After the discussions of the last few days and the communication received from the governor on the inappropriateness of being heard next week, with the concomitant vote of the motion of no confidence in the Puglia regional council, the Anti-Mafia has decided to proceed with an immediate call for this week .