June 15, 202320:05
Nothing Appeal in case of acquittal and tightening on wiretapping. The minister “We will also change the Constitution, it is our goal”
Il cabinet gave the green light to justice reform presented by the minister Charles Nordio which among other things cancels the crime of abuse of office and sets limits to the prosecutor’s power of appeal. The Keeper of the Seals: “I have heard inaccuracies about the lack of protection that would be created with the abolition of abuse of office which does not exist at all, our arsenal is the most aggressive in Europe”.
Test of compactness of the majority parties The majority therefore demonstrates unity, with the League putting aside its reservations on the abolition of abuse of office, in view of an overall reform of crimes against the public administration. But the package – which in addition to the abuse of office also cancels the prosecutor’s appeal against the acquittal sentences and imposes a squeeze on the press on the publication of the interceptions and provides more guarantees for suspects in the matter of pre-trial detention – seems destined to split.
Oppositions arise The mayors, albeit with different nuances, applaud the intervention on the abuse of office, Carlo Calenda assures support for the reform, and on the contrary, the M5s and Pd go on the attack on the government. “The reform will introduce new spaces of impunity”, thunders Giuseppe Conte. It is a mistake to “grasp Berlusconi’s death to carry out reforms on the shoulder”, warns Elly Schlein, to whose party the mayor of Milan Giuseppe Sala had turned shortly before to ask him not to rail against the intervention on the abuse of office.
Clash Nordio-magistrates And if the Union of Criminal Chambers substantially appreciates the reform as a whole, while deeming the intervention on wiretapping completely disappointing, it is a clash between Nordio and the magistrates, with the minister judging their criticisms of the laws “inadmissible” and accusing the robes of wanting to interfere in the choices of government and parliament.
Tajani: “Berlusconi would be satisfied” The bill, the result of “six months of intense work”, represents “the first step towards a radical reform in the sense of guarantee”, a “tribute” for Berlusconi’s battle “for a more just justice”, says Minister Nordio. Berlusconi “would be satisfied” with the reform, underlined Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani in the press conference at the end of the Council of Ministers.
“There will be no void of protection” Nordio claims and defends all the measures contained in the package, above all the decision to cancel the abuse of office due to its “pernicious consequences: the delegitimization of many political figures who have also seen their political careers compromised, due to investigations that have ended in nothing”. The result is the fear of the mayors’ signature which in turn produces “great economic damage” for the citizens. Deleting it will not produce a vacuum of protection, against malfeasance “our arsenal is the most aggressive in Europe”.
The interceptions As for wiretaps, for the moment action is being taken to ensure “the protection of the dignity and honour” of third parties unrelated to the investigations; at a later stage, “a radical reform of a system that has reached almost barbarism levels” will be carried out, the minister explained, assuring that the bill does not include “no gag for the press”. And in the future it will be necessary to intervene on interceptions “starting from the need to adapt the discipline to technological evolution, above all to hit the large criminal organizations. “We will also change the Constitution, it is our goal”, reiterates Nordio, who in the meantime hopes for rapid approval of this bill, hoping that the opposition is made in rational and non-emotional terms.