31 March 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.

Posted by Antonio Di Pietro in Politics