President Sergio Mattarella, Premier
Giuseppe Conte and police chief Franco Gabrelli on Friday
remembered anti-mafia magistrate Paolo Borsellino on the 27th
anniversary of his assassination by Cosa Nostra.
Mattarella recalled Borsellino and also the five escorts who
died with him.
"On the 27th anniversary of the Via d'Amelio massacre, in
which, together with him, Agostino Catalano, Emanuela Loi,
Vincenzo Li Muli, Walter Eddie Cosina and Claudio Traina lost
their lives, I direct an emotional thought towards them and I
renew my solidarity with their relatives, among whom, for the
first year, Rita Borsellino is missing, she who continued the
same commitment in other forms.
"The commitment for Paolo Borsellino, and for all the victims
of the mafia, remains strong, to ensure, as well as the dutiful
tribute of memory, justice and truth," the president said.
Conte also commemorated Borsellino.
"Today we recall magistrate Borsellino, killed 27 years ago
along with the (five) escort agents," Conte said.
"His words and his courage are always alive in our memories,
in our consciences.
"The search for the truth and fighting the mafias are an
imperative for us, a daily commitment".
Borsellino and his escorts were killed by a huge carbomb like
the one under the Palermo-airport highway that had killed his
friend and colleague Giovanni Falcone, his wife and three escort
officers two months earlier.
Gabrielli said that if anyone committed a crime in suspected
cover-ups they should pay for it.
"If among us someone was wrong, if someone betrayed for
performance anxiety or for shady projects, we are the first to
demand the truth," he said referring to three police on trial in
Caltanissetta for aggravated calumny and favouring the mafia.
"And they should not hide behind those who can no longer
speak or behind shortcuts.
"We don't want comfortable truths".
Asked about the search for the truth on mafia bomb massacres
of the early 1990s, Gabrielli said "the truth is
non-negotiable.".
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA