18 July 2006

Vincenzo Visco and the Guardia di Finanza

The top personnel of the Lombardy Guardia di Finanza will be transferred or given other roles. Some of the most important investigations, including those concerning Parmalat, Unipol and Antoveneta are carried out by the Procura di Milano {Milan prosecutors’ office} in direct collaboration with the Guardia di Finanza. It is legitimate that citizens should know the reasons for this important decision taken by the deputy economy minister Vincenzo Visco.

There must be no kind of doubt about the removal of State officials who have played a decisive role in some of the most important investigations of recent years. I note the declaration made by Vincenzo Visco: “I categorically deny any reference to the Unipol case in the activities arranged by the general command of the Guardia di Finanza. This is a falsity constructed by art”. But this does not convince me.

The magistrates of the Milan prosecutors’ office met with the top personnel of the Guardia di Finanza on Monday. Before that, they wrote you a letter warning you not to go ahead with the transfers so that the delicate investigations could be completed. In just a few days, we have witnessed an agreement across the board in the Justice Committee for the law granting a pardon to be extended to finance crimes. Straight after that we see the decapitation of the Lombardy Guardia di Finanza. Is this a coincidence?

Dear colleague, I ask you to clear this up publicly or to do so in the parliamentary committee. Let us know the reasons for this decision so that the citizens will not consider this a move motivated by the need to throw sand into the Unipol investigations, as they are doing at the moment. It can also avoid conflict with the magistrates.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Justice