Rome, 13 Sept. (LaPresse) – “I have read in various newspapers today about a row within the ruling coalition over a possible expansion of the ‘Safe Roads’ initiative, to which I would be opposed. Probably none of those who write or say these things remember who brought the ‘Safe Roads’ initiative into being, nor the hard work and difficulties involved in its creation. I, on the other hand, remember it all very well because we brought it into being, against everyone and everything: Minister La Russa, Cossiga (Jr) and I as undersecretaries. Against everyone and everything, I repeat. In fact, it did not come about as we would have wanted it to, but with a thousand constraints. Constraints that continue to exist and make it difficult for the military to fulfil that role to the best of their ability. Due to bureaucratic and legislative red tape, logistical and organisational problems, and issues with training and equipment. That is why I took the liberty of saying that it would have been more productive to recruit 10,000 more Carabinieri, who are part of the Ministry of Defence but constitute a police force with all the powers of the police. Do we want to deploy the military immediately? So long as it is not merely for ‘aesthetic’ reasons, just to show a few figures in camouflage on the streets. If, however, we want them to be operational and – as some are calling for – to have special forces in high-risk urban areas, working alongside the police, we simply need to make this legally possible. So rather than a resolution, we should speed up the Defence reorganisation bill and include the provisions deemed necessary to combat an increasingly heinous form of crime.” Defence Minister Guido Crosetto wrote this in *X*.
Security, Crosetto: “We need regulations to have more ‘operational’ military personnel on the streets”
Rome, 13 Sept. (LaPresse) – “I have read in various newspapers today about a row within the ruling coalition over a possible expansion of the ‘Safe Roads’ initiative, to which I would be opposed. Probably none of those who write or say these things remember who brought the ‘Safe Roads’ initiative into being, nor the hard work and difficulties involved in its creation. I, on the other hand, remember it all very well because we brought it into being, against everyone and everything: Minister La Russa, Cossiga (Jr) and I as undersecretaries. Against everyone and everything, I repeat. In fact, it did not come about as we would have wanted it to, but with a thousand constraints. Constraints that continue to exist and make it difficult for the military to fulfil that role to the best of their ability. Due to bureaucratic and legislative red tape, logistical and organisational problems, and issues with training and equipment. That is why I took the liberty of saying that it would have been more productive to recruit 10,000 more Carabinieri, who are part of the Ministry of Defence but constitute a police force with all the powers of the police. Do we want to deploy the military immediately? So long as it is not merely for ‘aesthetic’ reasons, just to show a few figures in camouflage on the streets. If, however, we want them to be operational and – as some are calling for – to have special forces in high-risk urban areas, working alongside the police, we simply need to make this legally possible. So rather than a resolution, we should speed up the Defence reorganisation bill and include the provisions deemed necessary to combat an increasingly heinous form of crime.” Defence Minister Guido Crosetto wrote this in *X*.