21 March 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.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Information