The proposal includes reining in prosecutors’ powers to appeal against acquittals for many lesser crimes, saying the government’s institutional interlocutor is the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSM).
“If a magistrate believes individually, from his perspective, that a law is wrong, no one has the right to stop him saying so or claim that he is interfering,” said Nordio.
“However, if the representative of a magistrates’ union pronounces a series of very severe criticisms before the text of the bill was made public then, in my opinion, the correct word for that in Italian is interference,” continued the minister.
His comments were in relation to concerns raised by ANM President Giuseppe Santalucia that the part of the justice bill that would stop prosecutors appealing against acquittals for less serious crimes is likely to be declared unconstitutional.
“The institutional interlocutor of the government and politics is not the union, but the CSM,” Nordio said.
On Thursday Santalucia rejected suggestions that the ANM wanted to interfere, after Nordio accused the union of potentially crossing the line into politics and unduly meddling in political life.
“I believe that a participatory democracy must not find undue interference in a critical position by professional categories, Santalucia told ANSA.
“We respect parliamentary sovereignty, we are an institution, it would be absurd to think that magistrates want to interfere with another power of the state.
“We seek democratic debate with those who will then make all their decisions. That is the mark of a mature democracy,” he added.
ANSA
