Nordio’s comments were delivered to an extraordinary plenum of the judiciary’s self-governing body chaired by President Sergio Mattarella on Thursday.
“It is all too important for me to contribute to strengthening the public trust in the judiciary, one of the pillars of the rule of law,” continued Nordio.
“This is one of the essential policy lines underpinning the reform pursued by the government,” he added.
Nordio’s plans are to separate the career paths of Italian judges and prosecutors so they can longer move between the roles, clamp down on the publication of information obtained from wiretaps and cancel prosecutors’ rights to appeal against acquittals for many minor crimes, among other things.
Magistrates have expressed reservations about some elements of the reform package, especially the separation of career paths.
The Italian magistrate’s union, ANM, claim it is the thin end of the wedge towards bringing the judiciary under government control.
“In this world there is nothing eternal except the word of the Lord,” Nordio told the CSM.
“The rest is subject to change - and so is the Constitution,” he added.
Were it to change, “never, ever, would there be even the slightest subjection of the public prosecution to the executive power,” Nordio said.
“The freedom and independence of the magistrature are a great achievement that will be reaffirmed by the reforms, but true independence lies within is,” he added.
Nordio also said, “ensuring that judicial offices have the necessary staff and tools has been the priority since arriving in Via Arenula (the seat of the justice ministry)”.
“Guaranteeing the functioning of the jurisdiction - so that it is able to respond to the demand for justice - is our primary duty.”
ANSA
