March 31, 2008

The Abolition of the “Authorities”

Lamberto Cardia - CONSOB President

An Authority is a public institution that has the task of watching over the correct operation of a specific sector of the economy or of society or of services (translated from Wikipedia in Italian)
The “independent” Authorities as given on the Senate’s website are:
- Authority Guaranteeing competition and markets
- Authority Guaranteeing Communications
- Authority Guaranteeing the protection of personal data
- CONSOB
- Institute for the overseeing of private insurance and collective interests (ISVAP)
- Authority for electric energy and gas
- Authority for overseeing public works
- Commission for Guaranteeing the operation of the law relating to strikes in essential public services

The current “Authorities” are not organisations that oversee or control. The reason is simple. They are normally led by people appointed by the parties, often party members, people who are by no means “independent”.
In recent days we have witnessed continuous declarations from Signor Berlusconi about Alitalia that have made the share price oscillate by 40%. Who has gained? Extremely late, the Consob has intervened because it has the duty to do so.
The violation of all the Italian laws and of the verdict from Europe in relation to Rete 4 is in front of our eyes, but not in front of the eyes of the Authority Guaranteeing Communications
The citizens believe themselves to be protected by the Authority, but in reality they are not. The Authorities are organisms that protect the parties. A waste of public money.
In the next legislature I will ask for their abolition.

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Politics
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March 30, 2008

Promised vote: Marco Travaglio

In recent days I have received many promised votes in favour of the Italia dei Valori party.
Here is one from Marco Travaglio.
"Two years ago I voted for the Italia dei Valori party, mainly because their candidate for my Piemonte was Franca Rame, an extraordinary person who, I am pleased to say, I contributed to sending to the Senate. I honestly think that this time around I will again be voting for Antonio Di Pietro’s party. I have taken note of all the objections raised by the party’s critics, inter alia, the paternalistic and personal management style of the party, which has been abandoned by some, the unseemly act of letting the party rent offices in a building owned by none other than Di Pietro, the nomination of candidates such as Sergio De Gregorio and Federica Rossi Gasparrini, who then promptly left the IdV party just a few months after being elected, Di Pietro’s commitment, as Minister for Infrastructure, to the TAV (High-speed Train) project for goods from the Valsusa (albeit after having discussed the issue with the area’s residents, including discussions regarding a possible alternative route to the infamous, 54Km “hole” at Venaus); the decision not to close down the “Stretto di Messina” company, notwithstanding the repeated objections against the bridge project, and his “no” to the establishment of a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the G8 affair (something sacrosanct in my opinion, given that parliamentary commissions of inquiry in Italy have a history of muddying the waters and getting in the way of the magisterial investigations. His objection, however, was somewhat clumsily justified by his request that the so-called “Black block” also be investigated, almost as if Parliament should concern itself with crimes committed by common citizens). To make myself perfectly clear, I would much rather vote for an Einaudi or a De Gasperi if they were still alive. However, in anticipation of someone of that calibre managing to get into politics, I believe that abstention – by which I have been sorely tempted for some time – would land up playing directly into the hands of the castes, or the clan. A non-vote, even if practiced on a large scale, means absolutely nothing to the party bureaucracy. Even if there were only three voters in total, the parties would share them out percentage-wise in order to separate the winner from the vanquished. Without giving a damn for the absentees who, in the final analysis, are always in the wrong. Therefore, I think that we need to be realistic, not by voting for the “least bad”, but by voting for the party that we believe is less far away from our own desires.
What has convinced me to vote for the Idv party is Di Pietro’s nomination lists, which include a number of people with values, some of which are my friends, from MicroMega, from the girotondi and that have, in recent years, fought in the battle for legality and freedom of information. I will mention one in particular.
Read the rest of "Promised vote: Marco Travaglio"

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Politics
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Interview on RepubblicaTv

I’m presenting an interview given to RepubblicaTv on 28 March in which I am responding to questions from viewers.

Your questions

- The issue of Alitalia
- IdV and the PD’s programme
- The credibility of candidates: the issue of De Gregorio
- Possible parity in the Senate
- But will IdV be dissolved?
- The refuse emergency and the case of Bassolino
- Berlusconi’s insults
- Proposals for the justice system
- The mafia in the election campaign
- The relationship with Beppe Grillo and the movements
- Politics seen from the inside
- Flexibity and precarious working
- The salary of the parliamentarians
- Women and the composition of the lists
- Regulations concerning de facto couples
- Message to voters on the Right
- The dialogue with the Centre

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Politics
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March 28, 2008

"Graduates and non-graduates", 2 years on, it’s still him

In recent days, Berlusconi, together with his television channels and his newspapers, has been conducting a campaign of denigration aimed at discrediting me personally and the Italia dei Valori party as a whole.
Here are some of the cracks made by Silvio Berlusconi during an interview with Il Tempo on 27 March 2008. I would like to remind the paper’s editor, Giuseppe Sanzotta, in passing, that Silvio Berlusconi is not currently premier.
The premier pulls a face. «My father - he says – told me this one, and it goes something like this. What does the son of a criminal become when he grows up? He only has two job options. Either he becomes a criminal or he becomes a Public Prosecutor». Laughter (abridged)
He then goes back to attacking Antonio Di Pietro. «Di Pietro horrifies me – he states – not because he is ugly, because he is unable to conjugate his verbs, because he does not know his subjunctives, or because of the fact that he gained his degree thanks to the Services. Anyone that speaks as he does could not have got his degree in the normal manner». Absolute jubilation. Berlusconi thinks back to his student days and tells that: «When I was busy preparing for my exams, and getting scores of thirty with distinction, there was a curfew in place in my building in order to ensure that I would study. At Montenero di Bisaccia, instead, no one even knew that Di Pietro was reading for his degree. Not even his parents were aware that he was studying». «Di Pietro horrifies me – continues Berlusconi – because he sent Italians to jail without any proof. A man who has no respect for others is a man that horrifies me ».
As regards the matter of the “degree”, a pet topic that Berlusconi has used on and off throughout all the election campaigns to date, I already gave my response on 30 January 2006 on this very blog:
Graduates and non-graduates
During a recent meeting with Rutelli, the current Prime Minister raised certain doubts as to whether or not I had actually earned my degree and went on to state that his political adversaries are, for the most part, not even graduates.
I talk facts, not lies or allusions.
This is proven by my Degree in Law, which I obtained on 19 July 1978.
The same year that the prime minister (now former) joined the P2 Masonic Lodge.
No judgement based entirely on a political science degree can be absolute. A degree certainly has a certain value. But equally so do political integrity and the ability to govern, which are totally lacking in the centre-right.
I would also like to remind the former Prime Minister that his former brotherhood colleague Bettino Craxi was not a graduate.

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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Upside down World

Following my observations about an “ad personam” veto in relation to myself and the position of Minister of Justice, numerous, jumbled, even ridiculous declarations have been made by top politicians, especially from the Centre Left.

I’m publishing an article by Marco Travaglio who comments.



”If in Italy, the Authorities were serious bodies, we would need one to protect words. Against the abuse and the contortions that they suffer, against the dirty market that transforms them in good merchandise for all uses. For example: there’s a discussion about the idea whether or not to appoint Di Pietro as Minister of Justice, after Veltroni told Ms Bignardi that there’s no question of it. Each of us can think what we like, but – possibly - giving the reasons for our thoughts. This is not the case of Polito who said to QN:
“Di Pietro as Minister of Justice in a PD government is unthinkable. It’s like, on the other side, that you were thinking of having Previti as Minister of Justice. Previti and Di Pietro are two extremes in a war between politics and the magistracy, to which the PD is offering to put an end.” Let’s concentrate on the words: “Previti”, “Di Pietro”, “extremes” and “war”.
Previti is a convict, definitively sentenced to 7 and a half years for corrupting judges, having paid certain judges to buy two verdicts: the first got a non-deserved compensation payment of 1,000 billion from the State to friend Rovelli; the second got Mondadori for friend Berlusconi. Di Pietro is a former prosecutor, known for having conducted with some colleagues, the most important anti-corruption investigation in the history of Europe, by convicting 1200 white collar workers and saving the Country from financial and moral bankruptcy.
Di Pietro never dealt with Previti, as he resigned from the pool of judges in December 1994 whereas the “Toghe Sporche” {investigations labeled: Dirty Judicial Garments } started in Summer 1995. In what way would they be “extremes in a war between politics and the magistracy”? Which war? Declared by whom? Fought, won, lost or drawn by whom?

In the United States, the Governor of New York is the former prosecutor Rudolph Giuliani, well known for his investigations into the mafia and the white collar workers of Wall Street (see the film with Michael Douglas), who arrested a great number. Has anyone thought of comparing him to his former defendants, to saying that he is in relation to them at “an extreme in a war between the mafia/high finance and the magistracy”?

Toto would say: “But do me a favour, say what you watch”. On the same topic another thought giant has been exercising, Boselli, the one who uses Jesus for a reference to get De Michelis and Bobo Craxi re-elected: “Di Pietro is the symbol of the justice show. He cannot be the Minister of Justice.

What’s the meaning of “justice show”? Perhaps Di Pietro took part in a TV show during the time of “Mani Pulite”? He was never seen on TV. He never gave interviews to the newspapers (apart from one, very general one to Biagi).

Justice show is appropriate for Cogne, Rignano, Erba, Perugia, and Garlasco, that is the trials celebrated on the TV. Di Pietro ran his trials in the court room. In fact the guilty ones were discovered and sentenced.

Let Boselli say that he doesn’t like Di Pietro because he was responsible for the conviction of his best friends and they are not out yet. But what’s the point in talking about “justice show”? The fact is that, when you talk about justice, those who have no arguments, start off on automatic pilot and give air to the mouth with the usual phrases that have no meaning.

Don Gelmini, on trail for sexual molestation of 10 young women, commented the request of the Temi prosecutor to send him for trial thus: “It is the result of the media tempest that has accompanied the investigation”.

But the investigation was not accompanied by any media tempest, given that we knew something only when the investigation was over. The newspapers wrote about the notoriety of the defendant, and the seriousness of the accusations, but this is crime reporting, not a media tempest. And it cannot be the cause of the investigation, since it came after: it is the effect. "

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Justice
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March 26, 2008

Giovanna’s letter

I’m publishing a letter that I’ve received from Giovanna Portosi, an Italian citizen who has been unemployed for some months. Giovanna’s situation deserves special attention as she is having particular difficulties in getting back into the labour market.
Italia dei Valori has placed in the top position, its government proposal relating to the topic of work, by improving law number 30, guaranteeing an income and retraining during periods of unemployment and making available tax breaks for precarious workers.

”Good day Dr. Di Pietro,

I don’t know whether this letter will be filtered out or whether you personally will read it. However, I hope it will be read and that it is a cause for reflection.
On Saturday 22 march, I turned 52. No, it’s not actually my age that sends shivers down my spine, but other things that are more serious. Since September 2007, I haven’t been getting a salary. On 20 December 2007, the firm where I worked, closed its doors and on 20 February it was declared bankrupt.
I signed up to the local employment office but they gave me to understand that it was best if I looked for work on my own; I spend whole days looking at job adverts but my greatest agony is to read “maximum age: 45”. If it goes well, those over 50 are prevented from getting from training for the unemployed.
Rarely, after I’ve sent off my CV, someone deigns to reply. Not to mention then the temporary-work agencies that are sprouting up like mushrooms. They attract you with repetitive adverts on various sites, I’ve wondered, following various adverts that have been repeated for months. Whether it’s a mirror for sky larks, the demand is created spontaneously, but have they got a deal for every candidate that “hits” their database? Like the animal sanctuary that get a sum for every animal they look after?
Closed doors for those over 50 for the world of work. Too young for the pension law. No. It’s not that I want to remain idle. I’m a really active women and being forced to stay unemployed is really annoying for me. I’m just asking to be able to work. But for those of us who are “new-old” there’s no job and no one protecting us.
I’m no longer young and beautiful. Thus I can’t expect to find a rich man who can keep me and to be honest I would feel like a worm if I were to be so submissive.
Another thing I want to tell you. In all my 30 years of work, I’ve never asked INPS for anything. The employment office meanwhile suggested I ask there for unemployment benefit. But there again, there’s no one to guide you or to tell you how to prepare a request. With phlegm they write to tell you that a document is missing. You take it along and days pass. They write back to tell you that another sheet of paper is missing. OK this happened 4 times and I was going up and down and we’ve got nearly to the end of March without knowing whether or not they will give me an allowance.
It’s not fair! Anyway they have their salary and they don’t understand the difficulties of those who as well as having lost their job and the monthly salary who knows if they will manage to get this even having gone through the Trades Unions. It’s offensive for those like me who are undergoing this difficulty.
This bureaucratic discomfort, the precarious workers, the lack of protection of workers, these should be the levers of good policies. I’m shouting out about my suffering because I don’t know what to do for these 8 years before I can get a pension. I just need to get a job so as not to feel like a parasite on society. I’m not asking for the moon nor the sun, just a mere job. I’ve got 30 years experience in administration. But my experience is not taken into consideration.

Why have I written to you? Simply because I have been following your activity for years and I hold you in high esteem and I believe in your words and in your campaigns.
I am taking the opportunity to offer you good wishes for your activity.

Giovanna Portosi."

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Work
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A clear justice policy

Right now, those of us in Italia dei Valori are not dealing with the issue, nor are we worried about the question of who will take charge of one Ministry rather than another. Veltroni has simply given an indication of what could be possibilities for me.

As regards the policies relating to justice, everyone can accept that Italia dei Valori has been formed from the experience of “Mani Pulite” to indicate a series of precise policies relating to justice, getting rid of the “ad personam” laws, increasing the financial resources relating to security and justice, reduction in the duration of trials, increase in the number of personnel in the justice system, increase in the police forces.
So, why should Italia dei Valori, that has such a clear justice policy, cause fear to anyone, even if it were to take on the role of Minister of Justice?
Berlusconi has already said that just the idea that I, with my past history, could go to the Ministry of Justice is horrifying for him. But I understand him. Once I discovered his activities, and today, if I were to be in that Ministry, as the first action I would deal with the shameful laws that he did so as to avoid his friends getting put on trial. I would pass a law that prevents convicted criminals to be candidates. And thus this would mean that his collaborators, the ones who paid the bribes to the Guardia di Finanza, in relation to checking the taxes of his companies, could not continue to be candidates to Parliamentary seats.
I would deal with this and I invite the citizens to think about and to tackle this way of doing politics for personal interests that this gentleman is carrying on.

I am worried that everything we are doing could be for some of our allies, certainly not for Veltroni, a motive to put obstacles in the path of Italia dei Valori. On the other hand, in the programme of the Democratic Party, we of Italia dei Valori have signed up to a very clear pact that the justice policy of the reformist model, that has Veltroni as the candidate for premier, is and must be something that is completely different from the “ad personam” laws that Berlusconi did.
We believe that action for Italia dei Valori’s justice policy should be if anything put on a pedestal and not squashed with senseless affirmations like those that people have said: “It’s best that Di Pietro doesn’t become Minister of Justice.” I haven’t asked for the position and someone should explain to me why ever should it not be possible.
Certainly not because I don’t know how the machinery of justice functions. Because if I look back to the Ministers who have had that role up until now, perhaps I have had the chance to have a bit more experience than they have had.

Exactly because of my activity as a prosecutor during “Mani Pulite”, it is the moment to say once and for all, loud and clear: the badness in our country is not and has not been the action of “Mani Pulite”, but the action of the bribe-giving, of the embezzlement, of the corruption, of illicit financing, of criminal politics that infested our governing class.
You don’t resolve problems by getting angry with the doctor who discovers an illness, but by attacking the illness and trying to make it weaker. This is what Italia dei Valori wants to do inside Parliament and in the Government in the next legislature.

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Justice
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March 25, 2008

A matter of justice

I’m publishing an interview I gave to the foreign press on the topic of justice.


If you were able to become the Minister of Justice, how would you resolve the many problems of Justice in Italy? The trials that last too long, the prisons that are too few, and the certainty of the penalty?
Antonio Di Pietro: Justice needs ordinary and effective interventions. It doesn’t need meta-judicial discussions that have nothing to do with every day life. In recent years, there have been discussions on major topics like the separation of the career, the role of the CSM, the Italian Legal Order, but I’ll give four points as an indication, of what the justice system needs: A 30% increase in financial resources for the activity of justice, an increase in the personnel assisting the magistrate, both civil and criminal, that today is 30% below strength with reference to the full complement of 20 years ago, even though there’s been an increase in the scope, a regrouping of the tribunals, in which some are overloaded and others have little to do. So as to optimize the work of the magistrates and of the auxiliary personnel; a redefinition of the role and the activity of the personnel of the judicial police, the carabinieri, the police and the Guardia di Finanza above all, so that they can carry out their activity only in relation to judicial and security police work and not with the administrative tasks, like escort or other activities that can be done by other groups. On the level of trials I intend intervening to reduce the duration of trials, first of all by eliminating the law about the reduction of times of “prescrizione”, created by the Berlusconi government with an “ad personam” law. Secondly, by reducing the number of levels of judgement from three to two, by eliminating an appeal phase if in a trial using the adversarial system as opposed to the inquisitorial system. Thirdly, by creating a regulation that interrupts the “prescrizione” with the remand, thus avoiding all the thousands of codicils of the lawyers. On the topic of substance, an important reduction in the types of crime: the so-called trivial offences must be de-criminalized so as to make way for the battle against major criminality.

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Justice
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March 24, 2008

Ad Personam Veto

If the coalition that I’m part of wins the elections, it will have to immediately tackle an issue: “Which Ministry is to be assigned to Antonio Di Pietro? It’s such a serious issue that it has to be debated continuously and without my having put forward any request, both by the Centre Right and the Centre Left. Berlusconi’s party doesn’t want me to become Minister of Justice. This is absolutely understandable for the head of the PDL. In fact my aim is to straight away get rid of the “ad personam” laws and to make the Justice machinery function so that in this country there can be restored the certainty of the penalty and the equality of all citizens before the law.
The vetoes that are arriving from leading lights in the Centre Left are not equally understandable and neither are they acceptable. What does Antonio Di Pietro have to do to become Minister of Justice? What qualities must he have? The last two Ministers were Castelli and Mastella. They have reduced the Justice system to rubble. Neither of them had even a minimum of competence in the matter. However, no one opposed them “a priori”, as is happening for my possible candidacy for the position. “Mani Pulite” still burns for a large part of the political class. Perhaps they fear that I want to finish that work.

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Justice
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March 23, 2008

G8: identify the political masterminds

We of the Italia dei Valori party firmly believe that a number of legal violations occurred on the day of the G8 meeting, each one worse than the next. The first was that of the rioters that, having mingled amongst the legitimate demonstrators and being armed with helmets other weapons of the trade, proceeded to attack the police, businessmen and unarmed citizens. The magistrature is busy clearing up that matter, having already requested that certain individuals be committed for trial, and asking for certain penalties.
Then there was yet another case, namely that of Bolzaneto and Diaz. What occurred were certain behaviours displayed by a number of police officers that proceeded to assault a number of citizens, not for the purposes of legitimate defence, but for the purposes of reprisal, citizens who were not, or who were no longer in any position to commit any offence. This offence is even more serious because it was not committed by just any normal citizen, but by a citizen in uniform and that is precisely for this reason that the magistrature is taking action. As the Italia dei Valori party, we believe that the task of ascertaining the existence of any criminal liability must be left to the magistrature.
However, this matter begs another question. Did these members of the police force that resorted to using violence do so in a moment of sudden madness, or did they do so because they had been stirred up, incited or indoctrinated by a certain political class that wanted to show their iron fist by resorting to the use of posthumous repression? In this regard, precisely who was that person, belonging to the political order in government at that time, that remained inside the barracks while issuing the applicable orders? I believe that it is our duty to instigate a political investigation in the interests of loyalty, clarity and the truth.

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Justice
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March 22, 2008

We will pay for him

Following the decision handed down by the European Court of Justice, our Country will soon be faced with having to pay a substantial fine unless the Italian television broadcasting laws are brought into line with European standards. Here is an interview I gave on this very subject to the “L’Unità” newspaper.

L'Unità: As far as Sivio’s most ardent supporters are concerned, you, Antonio Di Pietro, are Public Enemy No.1. Even worse in fact, «a man that horrifies everyone», as Sandro Bondi stated the other night on Ballarò. The leader of the Italia dei Valori party does not appear to be too concerned by this, anything but. Right there in the Rai3 studios, he did not mince his words: he wants to “dismember” Mediaset.
Tell us Minister, was this purely an electoral campaign threat or is it truly realistic to expect Rete4 to simply remove the inconvenience, in favour of Europa7?
Antonio Di Pietro: «The need to take away one of Mediaset’s channels, thereby remedying something illegal, has been sanctioned by both the European Court of Justice and the Italian Constitutional Court. The fact is that this illegality has not yet been remedied is something that brings shame upon our Country, because what it proves is that the Italian Institutions are unable to enforce the law. The need to act as quickly as possible is also dictated by the fact that there is the threat of an extremely heavy fine to be paid by Italy unless the Country complies, and to pay this fine we would need the equivalent of another annual budget each year ».
L'Unità: And what is your response to those who say that compliance would mean putting at risk certain companies that employ many people?
Antonio Di Pietro: «The argument used by the employees who work there does not make any sense. It would be the same as saying that it is okay for any company that fails to pay its taxes, or fails to comply with safety regulations, or fails to pay standard wage rates to break the law, simply because it employs a certain number of people. Furthermore, no one is actually wanting to shut that company down. All they want is for one of the Company’s channels to broadcast via satellite because someone else has won the frequency that it is currently broadcasting on. Let us remember that the network that is currently broadcasting on that frequency is only there because it has denied some other channel the right to broadcast ».
L'Unità: You say that the issue of conflict of interests will also be “breathing down Berlusconi’s neck”, but do you also believe that the centre-left has been too “soft” in this regard?
Antonio Di Pietro: «The centre-left has not only been too soft, it has in fact been negligent. It is a sin. To remedy a problem while you are the majority party is much like having a wound that must be repaired. We of the IdV party will adhere fully to the programme, and this includes complying with the law. We have no intention of allowing discounts … The fact remains that Berlusconi was governing this country while, at the same time, being the holder of a public service concession. We will never know whether he is making decisions based on his own interests or on ours. Indeed, the tailor made laws prove that his decisions are based entirely on his own interests ».
L'Unità: The “Cavaliere” claims that you are a “pensioner”, just like Veltroni …
Antonio Di Pietro: «That is rubbish. I am heading for 60 years of age, but I don’t receive any pension payments from Parliament. I still have a long way to go ».
L'Unità: There are those that could say that your alliance with the Democratic Party is merely a ploy you are using in order to improve your chances in the elections …
Antonio Di Pietro: «No, as far as I am concerned it is an iron-clad pact. The IdV’s claim to fame lies in the credibility of its actions. The issues surrounding the telecommunications reforms and the conflicts of interest must be addressed at all costs, because the regulations demand it, both the Italian and the European regulations to be precise. By tackling these issues head-on, we are reasserting the credibility of the programme and that of Veltroni as Prime Minister, thus demonstrating our determination and consistency ».
L'Unità: What would change in terms of the Italian scenario once the European Court decision is implemented? Something much resembling a revolution…
Antonio Di Pietro: «The affirmation of legality can never be compared to a revolution, it is simply a matter of re-establishing the legality of some pre-existing and recurring violation. We have unfortunately become the laughing stock of the international community, precisely because we are unable to enforce the law. This was already unacceptable when Berlusconi was at the helm, but it was also a natural consequence of a conflict of interests. However, I must also add something else, namely that, according to the Government, the situation would now be very different had we repealed the shameful legislation and resolved the issue of conflict of interest within the first hundred days, by approving the radio and television broadcast reforms. Instead, if we continue to-ing and fro-ing, we will land up being screwed and downtrodden. Screwed in the sense that a lack of variety affects us all, and downtrodden because we will be obliged to pay a huge fine ».
L'Unità: Now let’s talk about the G8 meeting in Genoa. Veltroni had some harsh things to say in this regard. Knowing what you now know, would you still vote against the establishment of a commission of inquiry?
Antonio Di Pietro: «At the time, we voted against the proposal to establish a commission of inquiry simply because the intention was to investigate only the allegations of illegal behaviour by the police and not the actions of those that committed violent acts against the police. Thanks to the investigations carried out by the judicial authorities we were provided with a clearer perspective of the events that unfolded, including the fact that two extremely serious criminal acts were committed at the time. The first was the infiltration of what was essentially a peaceful protest, by a bunch of thugs and hooligans. These are people that arrived there, armed to the teeth with clubs and incendiary bombs and who devastated half of the city and attacked the Police officers. Then there is the fact of what happened thereafter, which is equally unjustifiable, namely the reprisals and violence unleashed by certain of the forces of law and order, which is even more serious in that those responsible were wearing stars on their uniforms and were representing the State. I must point out, however, that in both cases, the facts did not emerge as a result of any commission of inquiry, but thanks to the efforts of the judiciary. A commission’s duty is to assess the policies behind the events that occurred, otherwise, by laying the responsibility at the door of one or other side, the truth of the matter becomes twisted».

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Economy
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March 21, 2008

Clarity about Italia dei Valori

In this election campaign there has been an attempt by some newspapers and TV channels to exploit certain issues about the coalition of Italia dei Valori with the PD. False exploitation aimed at discrediting us in the eyes of the citizens. In the programme "Otto e mezzo" on Monday 18 March I had the opportunity to clear up some of these points. I’m publishing the video and the text of what I said.

Ritanna Armeni: I would like you to do an analysis of why you have joined up with the Democratic Party, why Boselli was excluded and why the Radicals have become part of their lists.

Antonio Di Pietro:I’ll talk to you about Italia dei Valori, that is the party I represent and I’ll avoid talking about what the others are doing as I’m not a spokesperson for them. Before I start, just so that the citizens know this, as regards information and the complaints of my colleague Boselli, this is news that has come out this evening that the Communications Authority have given Mediaset a fine of 100 thousand euro for not having respect towards Italia dei Valori and information that is correct and plural. Furthermore, it gives an order to be obeyed, word for word, for the request for equilibrium by Agcom itself to the advantage of IdV and the other parties. I’m saying this because it is too easy to say “we are a bigger party, those are tiny parties”. It depends on the space and the opportunity that one is given. Having said this, I’d like to thank you this evening for giving this possibility to express our ideas. But information remains an issue, about which Italia dei Valori will be fighting in Parliament in the near future, whether we are in the majority or in opposition. I’m saying that to one who knows his stuff, because someone has said that I horrify him because I remind him every day, and I’m referring to Berlusconi, that he is violating the verdict of the European Court of Justice and the verdict of the Constitutional Court. Thus, let citizens know that they will see in Italia dei Valori a political formation in Parliament that will fight to resolve the conflict of interests and to resolve the law on communications that we believe to be totally to the disadvantage of equal opportunities, of correct information and of its independence.

Lanfranco Pace: We’ll come back to this later Minister.

Antonio Di Pietro:Let me tell the citizens, just for once when I am in a position to give information, about the topics for which Italia dei Valori is fighting, that then are a response to your question. It’s not that I am wandering away from the question. When you asked me why Italia dei Valori is present with its own symbol, with its own party, that is not a “satellite party” of the Democratic Party, for whom we ask for the votes, because we are convinced that we represent with our identity and our commitment on certain concrete topics, issues that otherwise would not be brought to the attention of Parliament. This is why there is the presence of Italia dei Valori which is allying itself, but is not becoming, nor will it become, the Democratic Party. Italia dei Valori is a political formation that exists and that will exist the day after the elections, in fact, it will get even stronger. We are convinced that the Italia dei Valori formation is a formation that is needed for these battles: justice, the rule of law, correct information, and equality of opportunity.

Lanfranco Pace: However, you gave the impression that you were not against participating in a constituent phase of the Democratic Party and over time possibly to become part of the Democratic Party.

Antonio Di Pietro:I’ve never said this. I’ll explain it again. Not to you – and I thank you for the opportunity to explain to the citizens. Italia dei Valori is a political formation that has underwritten the programme that the Democratic Party and Italia dei Valori have written after having reviewed and corrected it together. What is true is that there are fundamental topics as regards justice, as regards correct information, as regards “Ad Personam” laws that have to be done away with, as regards the rule of law, like the non acceptability of candidates who have been convicted. We have already applied this for ourselves and we want it to become law in the next Parliament. This specific requirement of Italia dei Valori makes it a party that exists and that will continue to exist. Once the programme has been written, and once that both recognise the candidate for the position of leader, another thing is to put together a unified group for the Lower House so that a single voice can represent the choice of the parliamentarians within the Lower House. This is why I am keen to repeat that it is not true that it’s necessary to vote either for the Popolo Delle Libertà {People of Liberty}or for the Partito Democratico {Democratic Party}. It’s possible to vote for Italia dei Valori and the vote is not lost. Then, as regards myself and to be correct towards friend Boselli, I intend saying that I believe that vote is useful if the citizen has trust . Thus I am not campaigning to say “vote for us because we are within the coalition” Don’t vote for the parties but for the people.

Lanfranco Pace: However, Veltroni, had given it to be understood that you would be taking part, unlike the socialists, in the constituent phase

Antonio Di Pietro:I’m telling you for the third time. The constituent phase for the Democratic Party has already happened and they already have Veltroni as candidate. We have done the constituent phase for Italia dei Valori. I never play with words and I don’t intend being swallowed up.

Lanfranco Pace: A political identity that is different from and separate from the Democratic Party

Antonio Di Pietro:Specific and fighting on specific topics. Boselli is right when he says that he has made the choice of ..

Lanfranco Pace: …antipolitics that helps politics. Yes?

Antonio Di Pietro:Forgive me. I don’t know what you think of antipolitics. I say that the one who is antipolitical is that gentleman who goes into politics to do his own business, who celebrates with little pasties when he is convicted and who puts himself forward as a candidate for Parliament, when he is a candidate to further his own interests. To be political, however, is that behaviour of the citizens who get together, even by using the Internet, and they create a popular draft law and when they propose a referendum to revoke laws that they feel are unjust and unjustifiable. To let you understand something: this concept of antipolitics is a false affirmation that tends to discredit people. This is why I say that antipolitics is the behaviour of convicts who go into Parliament so as not to go into prison.

Ritanna Armeni: It is true that it has been said, not by yourself, but by Veltroni, that “Di Pietro will then dissolve into the parliamentary group and will thus enter the Democratic Party”. You have said that this will not happen and we take note of that.

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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Election spoof

During the month pf February, Mister Silvio Berlusconi’s newspapers, periodicals and television channels began a veritable campaign of disinformation at my expense.
Every accusation formulated by the media belonging to the head of the centre-right, regarding my alleged improper utilisation of election reimbursements granted to the Italia dei Valori party landed up appearing utterly ridiculous when the Preliminary Investigation Magistrate of Rome archived the case, which was opened only as a matter of official duty.
I had requested the Court to issue a ruling on the matter as soon as possible, since I was convinced that the accusations were entirely unfounded. Others within the centre-right, however, normally count on endless delays occurring in the legal process, until the statute of limitations comes into effect, or else so that laws are made to measure to fit the crime.
Take a good look at the covers and first pages of Mister Berlusconi’s magazines and newspapers dedicated to me and you will understand precisely how totally the electoral competition has been skewed by one person in particular, who uses the media as he wishes to support his allegations and to destroy his adversaries. Herewith the decision handed down by the Court of Rome, which I have also forwarded to the major blog sites, along with a request that the same amount of space be given to this decision as was given to the fictitious claims they published regarding me.

www.ilvelino.it
www.legnostorto.com
www.ilgiornale.it
www.lapadania.com
www.ilvelino.it
www.opinione.it
www.iltempo.it
www.loccidentale.it
blog.panorama.it
www.libero-news.it
www.comincialitalia.net
www.ccsnews.it

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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March 19, 2008

The disinformation bosses

Friends of the blog, I want to tell you about a case that relates to me personally, from which it is possible to draw the moral of the fairy story as regards disinformation, that is the cause of the decay of democracy in our country.

In 2006, two days before the elections, Berlusconi’s Il Giornale sent to its front page headlines of the type: “Di Pietro denounced, investigated”, for an incredible series of crimes. It seemed that we had gone back to the times of Mani Pulite, when, for every investigation that I carried out, I was subjected to ten other investigations, as though the fault was mine and not that of those that had committed the crimes.

And in this case too, given that Italia dei Valori is having success, lo and behold this news item arrives. It was a question of one of those characters in search of an author that is making a denunciation every day, one day in relation to one person, and the next day in relation to another person. The denunciation in this case was completely pie in the sky, however, given that there was voting two days later, some citizens might have thought: “why on earth am I voting for Italia dei Valori?” Do you see how it is possible to be undermined by information? Not by the denunciation as such. Every citizen has the right to make a denunciation and every magistrate has the right to investigate, in fact he has the duty to investigate. And every person under investigation, especially if they are a politician, has the duty to rush to the magistrate to present his reasoning, instead of getting angry with the magistrates. And that’s what I did.

Without even listening to me, the archiving of the case was called for. The denunciation was so muddled up that the judge didn’t even want to hear what I had to say. There was opposition to the call for the archiving of the case and the hearing of the opposition request was fixed for February of this year. Now, given that the Government has fallen and we have to go to elections, three days before the archiving of the case, for three days in a row, that newspaper, accompanied by that type of information thundered out always on the front page “Di Pietro under investigation”. In reality I was not under investigation, they had already called for the archiving of the case. Well then, why did they do this? Let’s reflect.

How does information work now? It’s enough to place a news item, even not true, on the front page. It’s not necessary for people to buy Il Giornale, what’s important is that every evening, before they go to bed, and every morning before they go to work, almost all the citizens listen to the summary of the press headlines. Thus all citizens have that hammering of their mind with the news headlines that are on the front pages, while they are putting on their pyjamas and while they are taking them off.

Here I’ll open a separate topic. I’ll tell you about a specific case to make clear how sensitive this situation is. A few days ago, I saw a tuppenny newspaper, where you could read: “Pamela Prati: la mia vera storia con Di Pietro” {Pamela Prati: my real story with Di Pietro} And yet I have never had anything to do with Pamela Prati. I went off to read the rag and in a line written really tiny, it said: “I have never had anything to do with Di Pietro”. But in the meantime, all those who read the front page, got an idea that is completely the opposite of the real state of affairs. Now, if it’s a question of Pamela Prati that’s OK, if it’s a question of honour, or of really serious accusations, or if it’s a matter that is criminally relevant, this is a serious danger for anyone in politics.

Thus, I’m not criticizing Il Giornale because it passes on information, in fact I accept criticism, but I cannot accept the falsity of a news item.

I did not ask for the postponement of the hearing and I went all the same. When I went there, I found that the one accusing me was asking for the postponement of the hearing until after the elections. How’s that? For the first time you find a politician rushing to the judge asking to be judged early and you want to judge me later? I opposed the request and the judge judged me then. So there we are, today the judge says: archiving the Di Pietro case because “il fatto non sussiste” {the fact does not exist}. “Il fatto non sussiste”, in judicial terms means that, if I had been accused of murder, the person considered to be dead, in fact is alive. As well as that, the judge added that the documents are to be sent to the public prosecutor to examine the possibility of the crime of calumny of the one who has been denounced.

Do you think that tomorrow morning, that newspaper will put the news item on the front page with the addition of “excuse us Di Pietro”? No. I’ll tell you what will happen: in the next few days and for every election campaign, for as long as there’ll be Di Pietro and Italia dei Valori, during the election campaign there will always be someone who, instead of measuring up political topics, will be measuring up defamation. And tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, they’ll be inventing something else, and then something else as well. Not because the fact is true or false, but because in this way they are trying to put the brakes on the political work of a party like Italia dei Valori, that has made transparency and the rule of law its whole essence.

So, I’m turning to you, you who surf the Internet, you who have sent different messages and emails asking for explanations and worrying about the developments on this matter. I have scanned in this statement and you can find it at this link. Read it.
It is a exactly what tells you how it is possible for someone to stop the political work of a party that is fighting for the rule of law, trying to defame, instead of engaging with the political topics.
Reflect on this, because that newspaper is the property of the gentleman who want to be the President of the Council and he’ll do it in this way and that’s what he’ll do, and if it happens that he really becomes President of the Council: he will eliminate his own opponents in this way.
It’s not by chance that he has asked Ciarrapico to be a candidate with him, because he needs a few extra journalists so as to be able to do a bit more disinformation. Then, if you will allow this, let the facts speak. The facts speak clearly. Of that person, there’s very little in which you can trust. He uses punches below the belt to reach the results that he could not get otherwise, because he has no credibility.

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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March 18, 2008

Justice is the basis of democracy

Angelo Panebianco, the authoritative editorial writer of il Corriere della Sera, has written an article entitled "L'ipoteca giustizialista" {the justicialist mortgage}criticizing the agreement between the PD and IDV.
The crux of Panebianco’s argument can be summarised in his own words: "Di Pietro represents the anti-politics of the judicial-justicialist variant.”, “the proletarian expropriation of certain TV networks”, “give back order in a consensual way to the Italian Justice System”, “pathological developments of our Justice System”, “wild intercepting”, “limit the use of intercepts by the media”.

Panebianco confuses justice with justicialism, laws are made to be applied and politicians are not a separate category. If today the Justice System functions a little or badly, then it is due to the continuous interference from politics by the use of “ad personam” laws and thus the uncertainty of punishment.

To want to limit the use of intercepts by the media that in other words means not publishing them until the trial debate, is equivalent to waiting for years to find out about Fazio, Fiorani, Cuffaro, Berlusconi-Saccà who, in the meantime are safe from the judgement of the general public. The current law allows journalists to publish the intercepts when they are deposited and made available to both those who are investigated and the lawyers. To broadcast the intercepts in these conditions is not a crime, it is providing news. Anything but “wild intercepting”.

Di Pietro and his voters, do not represent a “justicialist variant”, but the wish to apply the laws without taking note of what anyone else is thinking. For example, to start off with the recent European verdict about assigning the frequencies used by Rete 4 to Europa 7, that has arrived after numerous others. Panebianco wants the end of the conflict between the Centre Right and the Centre Left that he claims are the result of justicialists who have had the upper hand for years, in place of dialogue.

There is no dialogue without justice, Dr. Panebianco, without that, only “mess ups” remain.

Dr. Mario Caristo, Honorary General Prosecutor at the Supreme Court of Cassation has sent a letter to Panebianco, with copies to Mieli, to the director of il Corriere della Sera, to myself, to Silvio Berlusconi, to Vittorio Grevi and to Sergio Romano.

I’m attaching the letter from Mario Caristo.

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Justice
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March 16, 2008

Italia dei Valori supports Grillo’s Referenda on Information

The national elections are deeply influenced by the lack of true information. The citizens do not have the possibility of making up their minds on the programmes of the parties and furthermore, there is hardly any trace of some parties in the media. One of these is Italia dei Valori. Public financing of publishing makes it possible for newspapers like il Foglio and Libero to exist because of money from the citizens. These are effectively Berlusconi newspapers that are form an organic whole with him. A European verdict, coming after analogous Italian verdicts, decreed that Rete 4 must leave the frequencies that it occupies, so that they can be used by Europa 7. Nothing has happened and every evening Emilio Fede does his job as spokesperson for the PDL. This is not true democracy. In fact it’s not possible for a democracy to exist without free information. The current publishing/politics connudling must be eliminated. Italia dei Valori has decided to give its support to the three proposals for referendum: “Free information in a free State” laid before the Court of Cassation last Thursday by Beppe Grillo together with young people from his movement.

The three referenda have the objective of overturning:

- the Gasparri law about the balance of the radio-TV system that hands over to a single private individual (basically to a political party) half the national TV information.

- public financing for publishing that, in fact, make publishing subject to the parties

- the abolition of the Order of Journalists

The signatures for the referenda will be collected throughout Italy on 25 April. Italia dei Valori is offering, not only its support, but also its availability for operational support.

Download the V2-day flyer with the referenda proposals.

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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March 15, 2008

The law regarding the statute of limitations

Here is a short interview I gave on 14 March in Taranto on the topic of the statute of limitations.

Journalist: With the ex-Cirielli Law, In Taranto we risk the expiry of the statute of limitations on many important court cases. What do you intend to do about this, should you be a part of the next Government?Antonio Di Pietro: In the first place, in response to a question of this nature, most politicians would give the same answer, namely: “We will work hard to stop this from happening”. Don’t believe them however. Look around and see who actually did anything during the last legislature. We, and very few others were the only ones that fought to stop the pardons and I was the only one that stated that the ex-Cirielli Law needed to be changed, and nobody else. Everyone else was saying that the periods contemplated in the statute of limitations needed to be reduced.
This will be my undertaking as part of the Italia dei Valori party, if you vote me into Parliament, however, what we need are numbers. This is why people must vote, precisely because what is needed are numbers, because there in Parliament, no one gives a damn about this issue. Today they will say one thing, and then proceed to do something totally different. We need numbers.
My concrete undertaking is as follows: to eliminate this law that envisages short periods for the statute of limitations and to replace it with a regulation that makes provision for the absence of any statute of limitations once the person has been committed for trial, in other words, that there will be no expiry date once charges have been laid and court proceedings have begun. Absolution should only occur on the merits, you are either innocent or guilty. It should not happen that the law comes along and says, “we will no longer proceed”, and this before a decision is made regarding guilt or innocence.
This little game, namely fixing a deadline by which, if no decision has yet been made, then no decision will be made at all, has become a tool provided by Berlusconi himself in order to get impunity first, and then the truth.
This will not happen if I come into power.

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Justice
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March 14, 2008

Bassolino must take a step back

Bassolino’s resignation is not something that I wish for. It is upsetting when a legislature ends with someone’s resignation, but when such resignation is inevitable and necessary in order to reinstate the credibility of the institutions, let those responsible step forward by taking a step back.
My feelings are those of the Italia dei Valori party, a political organisation with a head on its shoulders, which does not do anything rash, not partake in theatrics, which highlighted a problem some time ago, not because the timing was auspicious, and we have no intention of using those legal proceedings to refer back to our requests, also because, on a personal level, it is extremely difficult if not totally impossible to believe that Bassolino would get involved in form of illicit behaviour for personal gain. On a personal level, I have no hesitation whatsoever in defending his honour.
The problem is a political one, and we highlighted it at an inauspicious time, without any hidden agenda, firstly by not taking our place in the Bassolino junta, and then by demanding his resignation when the waste disposal affair hit the headlines, long before the legal action began.
At the time, as we do now, we attempted to convince Bassolino to accept his responsibilities, so as to avoid becoming embroiled with the centre-right and thereby being accused of treason and conspiring with the centre-right, also because we do not agree entirely with the fact of bringing in this centre-right regional government to replace Bassolino, precisely because, in terms of waste disposal, the rot always seems to begin precisely, and above all with the centre-right and we have no mad desire to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire.
That is why we have said, on the one hand, that it would be better for him to resign and, on the other hand, that we have no intention of taking part in his junta, because we do not believe that this junta will be able to resolve the problems, and we refuse to accept being labelled as turncoats, because we like the other side even less.
We are convinced that through this act of political and institutional persuasion, and in the hope of an imminent victory, which we believe to be within our grasp, we will be able to convince the Governor to resign. Clearly, should he fail to do so, having used the excuse of the waste disposal emergency to justify his failure to resign, desperate times require desperate measures.

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Politics
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March 12, 2008

Italia dei Valori Candidates: Beppe Giulietti

I’m publishing the speech delivered at the presentation by Beppe Giulietti, a candidate in Piedmont for Italia dei Valori.

”In general, whoever is not visible gets forgotten by the media policies and it seems polite to remember whoever allows you to express yourself and to exist.
Let me say a word of thanks, a tiny conflict of interests that is easily resolvable, to many of us present here who have chosen to participate in the forum of Articolo 21 by expressing agreement and disagreement to a proposal that arrived from Italia dei Valori in a clear way, a transparent way that was handled in a free and transparent way. I will then leave a file with hundreds of people who have written, many of whom will not vote for me, nor even for Di Pietro, who think differently, but who say “yes”. If there is a proposal to represent forcefully, a clear and transparent way, the topics of communication, it is a serious proposal. Above all my thanks go to those who think differently from me, but this is the way to represent communication: not to associate the faithful and to try to represent those who are different.
He convinced me because it is a list that unites in a Country where the lists cause divisions, because it supports a candidate to be President, Veltroni, who is a friend of mine. When I read the pictures of night-time struggle between Veltroni and Di Pietro, they are stupid stories. The proposal that was made to me was clear and transparent from Italia dei Valori in response to the appeal of thousands of people. I had never asked for dispensations. I don’t know what that’s about. I was busy with other things.
In response to a document that put forward the topic of communication, Italia dei Valori said: “We know that they are important and fundamental topics. Represent them with force and dignity.” I don’t know if I’ll be capable, however, certainly I’ll be committed to represent them and to try to do so.
Rarely have I seen anyone taking on a topic with this level of commitment and with this strength, in a country where article 21 has been destroyed in certain seasons, gaining for itself, the last place, not because it was Giulietti that said so, Giulietti who is no one, but the liberal international agencies, that many people probably don’t know and get them confused with the Bolsheviks.
Thus there are three key thoughts: rule of law, liberty and equality. My commitment is to journey in this world.
Do you know the meaning of the rule of law? It makes me laugh to say this: that there’s a commitment to respect the verdicts of the Constitutional Court and of the European Court, that if Europa7 wins, then the verdict is applied, and there’s no playing about with the verdicts. This is a phrase used by the Centre Right: zero tolerance against what is illegal. To say this phrase seems something radical, respect for the verdict is valid for Europa7, it’s valid for ReteA, it’s valid for the tiniest radio station. If it is possible to play games with a verdict, it’s possible for anyone in the world of communications. It means, and Pardi has expressed it well, to be liberated from the conflict of interests, that is not only in relation to Berlusconi, but also of the RAI: yes to a unique administration, closing down the Boards of Directors with political nominations, at the RAI and at the Authority. They are proposals that are classically European: to be freed from control. This is to be liberated of conflict of interests and ensure we have liberty, and it means also freedom of the Internet, that is no to proposals to control the Internet and no to proposals of 5 years in prison and two million Euro that are at the centre of Berlusconi’s programme on intercepts: it means putting a cage round Italian reporters. I believe it is not practicable.
Quality means that perhaps the three trials of Perugia or of Erba can go on at one o’clock in the morning, and a great campaign on the deaths at work can come back to 9:00pm, just like the great topics about life.
I would like to ask the Guaranteeing Authority to check up right now, very seriously the topic of equal opportunity, because I believe in the topic of liberty: if the socialists protest, I worry, I want to know whether they are right, just as if it’s the Radicals protesting or the Sinistra Arcobaleno, when it is Di Pietro, I will be worried, just as for the Democrats and the groups on the Centre Right. Let the Authority control the data. If there is any violation don’t let them wait until after the election, let them take the compensatory measures straight away, not suspensions: this is what it means to be free and to defend everyone’s liberty.
I have read that Berlusconi has a horror of Di Pietro. I’ll end with this: One of the reasons why I accepted to be a candidate is that he has a horror of Di Pietro. I however am a bit behind the times. I try to respect the 10 commandments on alternate days. I have a horror of those who have played foul with the verdicts, the ones who pay the judges, the ones who go and have dinner with the mafia people and those who put forward as candidates the friends of mafia people.
Thank you”

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Politics
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March 11, 2008

Have a good look at who the candidates are

This is an invitation to Internet surfers: the lists for the election campaign have been officially put forward and for the presentation of the candidates who will go into Parliament.
As well as asking for their voting certificates we of Italia dei Valori asked our candidates for their criminal clearance certificates. We have no convicted felons.
I urge you to look what has happened in some other parties, and I’m saying this because I have noted a few names that I remember from the time when I was a magistrate. Even at that time, I saw their names in a list one above the other, but they were the lists of those in the register of people under investigation, some in the register of those on trial and even, some in the list of those who had been convicted and sentenced. So I’m reflecting, going beyond the beautiful words of “the rule of law, security and justice”, going beyond the beautiful words of “generational change” and “the new”. Have you seen Casini who says “the new” and then puts forward Cuffaro as a candidate?. Have you seen Berlusconi who says “rise up again Italy” then he has made to rise up again Sciascia, the finance director of his publishing group, the one who created the funds to pay the bribes through Berruti to the Guardia di Finanza {Finance Police}: they have both been convicted, Berruti and Sciascia. Berruti has already been in Parliament, Sciascia, they are sending there now. So, watch out for the names of the candidates, because looking at those you can see who is being serious and who is walking all over us, trying to bamboozle you one more time.
To avoid making mistakes, I’m looking at the names of all the candidates, remembering what has been my past experience, and in the next few days I will make out a list, first and second names, of these people. In this way you will know who the candidates are, because in the election lists you won’t find their names, you cannot find them there, however you will know which party they belong to and , as the saying goes, “tell me who your companions are and I’ll tell you who you are!”
Given that Berlusconi is going with Ciarrapico, we know that he is also a fascist. Given that we know that certain parties are putting forward as candidates convicted felons and people who celebrate with little pastries even when they are convicted, thus it means we know who they are. I will list them for you, one after the other, so that you will know, because what has happened in the past must never happen again.
The other time, in Puglia, something strange happened to me: I couldn’t have a direct face to face discussion between myself, a candidate, and the other candidate who was called Frigerio. He never turned up for the appointment. So much so that three or four days before the elections, I went to the Appeal Court to find out about this person Frigerio, who didn’t even have a photo for publicity during the election campaign. I discovered that he’s called Gian Stefano Frigerio, from Cernusco sul Naviglio, in Lombardy, and that he went to be a candidate in Puglia, between San Marco in Lamis and Manfredonia, near to Padre Pio’s territory, making out that he was a pious and devoted person, when in reality he was one of those who go “pijo pijo”, in that he had been convicted more then once for having received bribes during his institutional activity in the Region of Lombardy.
In Puglia no one knew him and they thought “Is he from San Marco in Lamis? Is he from Manfredonia? Is he from Torre Maggiore or from a village round here? Perhaps I’m the one who is stupid. How come I don’t recognise someone like that?” They voted for him by putting a cross on the symbol for Forza Italia, and he went into Parliament: he had a mountain of convictions, a convict who should have gone to San Vittore {a prison} and instead he found himself in Montecitorio {Parliament}.
Given that this time I don’t want to run the risk that citizens don’t have the information, very soon I will draw up a list with the names of these candidates in alphabetical order, or if you prefer in the order of convictions, so that you will be able to do a great automatic search, according to the ones with the most convictions or following the alphabetical order, just as you prefer.

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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March 10, 2008

IdV Candidates: Elio Lannutti

I’m publishing the speech of Elio Lannutti, the candidate heading up Italia dei Valori’s list for Veneto in the Senate.
”Thank you Antonio Di Pietro, Italia dei Valori, friends
This is a homecoming. Already in 2001, I was a candidate with Di Pietro, and so I am really honoured to come back and be part of a party that is fighting for the rule of law, and for the defence of rights.
As everyone knows, I am concerned with the defence of consumer rights. Greetings to Rosario Trefiletti, the president of Federconsumatori, who has been my companion in so many battles against the banks and the excessive power of those who do not respect the law.
Briefly, I will be a candidate thanks to the honourable Massimo Donadi. Thanks to him.
I want to point out three things: this is a country in which the corporations command, this is a country where there is the republic of the banks that dictate the laws, and when there are also State laws, like the Bersani decree on the possibility to move mortgages and on the synergy of interests that are not respected and nothing happens.
In respecting the programme of Italia dei Valori and of the Partito Democratico, I will try to fight for the defence of buying power: remember that insurance premiums have gone up by 158%. They should come down, as should banking services.
With the price of the euro, there has been a transfer from the pockets of the citizens, from consumers, from workers on fixed incomes, from pensioners who have to get into debt and who don’t manage to get to the end of the month., something like 137 billion euro. If I’m elected, while respecting the programme, the commitment is not that of making so many announcements, but to stay with my feet on the ground and defend poor people who are not managing and who are obliged to get into debt.
Once more I thank Antonio Di Pietro and Italia dei Valori."

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Politics
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March 09, 2008

IdV Candidates: Pancho Pardi

On Friday 7 March, I presented four candidates chosen from civil society and from politics. Pancho Pardi is the top of the list in Tuscany for the Senate, Teresa Cordopatri is the top of the list in Calabria for the Senate, Elio Lannutti is the top of the list in Veneto for the Senate and Beppe Giulietti in Piedmont for the Chamber of Deputies.
I’m publishing my speech and the first of the four speeches, that of Pancho Pardi. The others will follow in the next few days.

”The Party cannot be a closed Caste, but it must open up to the best professionalisms, to the best energy and resources that civil and political society can supply. This is why every time we have seen that there was the possibility that even people external to Italia dei Valor could have, through our election participation, the possibility of being in Parliament and of representing the diverse interests and the reasoning of the people, we have taken important steps back to make the best candidate positions available to them. We have even done that yesterday with Beppe Lumia, we have even repeated our availability this morning to Nando Della Chiesa, because we believe that the forthcoming legislature is important, a turning point, and it is better that there are the best professionalisms and personalities committed in the battles for transparency, for the rule of law and the battle against illegality, both in terms of organised crime as well as economic-financial (so-called “white”) but that also does a lot of harm.”

Shortly there’ll be the whole text of the speech.

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Politics
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March 08, 2008

Squint-eyed information

The protests against the Italian radio and television system, specifically as regards television coverage of the electoral campaign, are well founded. What we are talking about are the questionable choices in terms of television news broadcasts and in-depth reports.
There is a form of objective preference being given to certain political figures, even if they are not candidates for the position of premier, who are given daily exposure. Others, instead, are given few opportunities to appear. For this reason, the Italia dei Valori party will be appealing to the vigilance and control Authority, requesting that all the political forces be given equal exposure in the various programmes and newscasts.
Here is my letter that was sent off to Corrado Calabrò, Chairman of the Communications Control Authority.


"Dear Mr. Chairman,
As representative of the candidates of the Italia dei Valori party, which will be taking part in the upcoming elections as part of an alliance but with its own, recognisable emblem on the ballot sheets, I wish to point out that, on the basis of numerous reports received from many parts of the country, there is clear shortage of representation of our candidates, even in relation to the importance of these elections, thereby essentially not allowing us equal access to the media, in terms of equitable and impartial treatment, in order to enable us to put out our political message.
In a number of the radio and television broadcasts, inter alia, the Italia dei Valori party is automatically assumed to be part of the election lists of the Democratic Party, which supports Walter Veltroni while, as stated previously, we are dealing with a mere association.
For the abovementioned reasons, we request that the Authority carry out an immediate investigation and that you implement appropriate compensatory measures to remedy this imbalance.
In the certainty that the Authority will grant our request, please accept our kindest regards.
Antonio Di Pietro"

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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Democracy and information

I have decided to report the members of the Communications Control Authority to the judicial authorities for failing to take action against the current partisan and criminal use of television programming. I am referring to the allocation of television airtime to the fortunate few party representatives, at the almost total expense of others, amongst them the Italia dei Valori party.
Skewed information, such as is happening at present, is turning free elections into a farce worthy of Ceaucescu and Pinochet. Without free exchange of information there can be no democracy, and the outcome of elections is obviously affected.
The Communications Control Authority has not raised a finger in terms of implementing the European decision regarding the case of Europa7 and moving Rete4 to the satellite broadcasting service and has, instead penalised Anno Zero for alleged inconsistency. How many votes are gained from the propaganda touted by Emilio Fede, the illegitimate news director who has been busy, full-time, singing the praises of an aspirant premier who also happens to be his boss?
The Authority is doing nothing of that which it is paid to do by the Italian population, namely, to watch over information. Unfortunately, the outcome of my report will not be known prior to the elections. Nevertheless, this Authority must be tabled for discussion immediately after the elections.
It has become nothing more than a fig leaf with which to hide the huge conflict of interests between politics and information, which represents a real danger for democracy.
I am also posting a statement I made on video, recorded this morning, on this precise topic.

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Information
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March 07, 2008

11h00: presentation of candidates

Today, Friday 7th March, at 11h00, at a press conference at Montecitorio, we will be presenting our candidates.
A choice made on the basis of two principles: the ties to the territory, putting up our party leaders as candidates, and opening up to civil society, with candidates that represent the general areas of reference, so as to bring to Parliament certain themes and battles that have, to date, remained on the outskirts, such as consumer rights, protecting the interests of small investors, freedom of information and the culture of legality and compliance with the rules.
A party rooted within the territory, yet open to anyone who shares our values.

Postato da Antonio Di Pietro in Politics
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