'Entire system' must fight corruption, Mattarella says

(ANSA) - Florence, April 28 - The fight against corruption involves the entire system, President Sergio Mattarella said on Thursday during the opening of the academic year at the Superior School of the Judiciary in Scandicci near Florence.
    "Corruption is a commitment (requiring) the entire system, not just one body of the State, which would be insufficient," Mattarella said amid fresh tension between politicians and magistrates over recent comments by Piercamillo Davigo, president of Italy's National Magistrates Assocation (ANM) union, that politicians "haven't stopped stealing; they've stopped being ashamed of it". "For their part, political actors need to add the awareness that corruption in their sphere is more serious because political commitment implies the double duty of honesty for oneself and for the citizens that are represented," Mattarella said. "A big alliance is needed between all the healthy forces to further develop the necessary antibodies," he continued. "This is a political, social and cultural commitment that must involve the entire community, because the antibodies - which in Italy exist, and that's not the case everywhere - are more effective when they are present in all strata of society, from schools to the business community, from intermediate bodies to local institutions," Mattarella said. To achieve lasting results the head of state also said that politicians and magistrates needed to work in synergy, each within their own sphere of competence. Finally, Mattarella insisted that the length of trials in Italy "is not an independent variable", adding that he hoped the problem might be tackled "with determination".
    It needs to be addressed "(by) judicial offices on the organisational and managerial level. (By) parliament and the government on the legislative level and on the level of resources," he said.