Referendum, Mantovano: ‘It is serious to evoke the risk of Minneapolis with the reform’

Naples, 31 Jan. (LaPresse) – “In a dynamic of civil dialectics, the arguments in favour of the reform should be opposed by those against it: not slogans according to which, with the reform, judges will depend on politics, justice will be controlled by the government, and the government will demand impunity. Because we know that there is not a single line in the text submitted to referendum that goes in that direction. In my opinion, it is particularly serious to repeat these slogans if it is done by those who administer justice in concrete cases in their daily lives.” This was stated by Alfredo Mantovano, Undersecretary to the Prime Minister, who spoke at the ceremony inaugurating the judicial year in Naples. ‘I ask you,’ added Mantovano, “whether the bitterness of the dispute should cause the debate to degenerate to the point of evoking the risk that, once the reform is approved, even in Italy there will be innocent people killed by the police, as is happening in Minneapolis. Or to raise the alarm about alleged espionage activities against Italian magistrates for a programme, dating back seven years, which has automatic update systems and only uses the video camera at the request of the person concerned, as is the case with any web connection. Or, to mention the latest gem, to argue, in an uncommentable way, that the reform compromises the fight against mafia crime. A significant part of the judiciary is increasingly aware of this drift and is increasingly and publicly dissociating itself from it, despite ostracism and prohibitions.