Renzi denounces M5S for refusing talks

(ANSA) - Rome, August 21 - Premier Matteo Renzi on Thursday denounced members of the opposition 5-Star Movement (M5S) after they refused to meet with Italian Justice Minister Andrea Orlando on reforms to the justice system.
    In a post on his Twitter feed, Renzi said that M5S members would be more willing to speak to terrorists than his government.
    His comments came as Orlando met with members of the Forza Italia (FI) political party led by ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi.
    Members of the (M5S) said Thursday that they would not meet with Orlando on judicial reforms because of their "disgust" over the government's dealings with Berlusconi. Orlando, a member of the governing Democratic Party (PD), is discussing reforms to Italy's justice system, a topic on the agenda when Renzi's cabinet meets on August 29.
    But Senators and members of the Lower House belonging to the anti-establishment M5S said that they are disgusted with Renzi and his government for dealing with the FI.
    M5S has been taunting Renzi over an earlier pact his government reached with Berlusconi and his FI on election reforms.
    Renzi last month unveiled an ambitious 12-point justice reform plan he hopes to see passed in September.
    The reforms would simplify civil law to cut the average time for a civil case to about one year in the court of first instance, as well as halving a huge backlog of cases to remove a major block on foreign investment in Italy.
    Italy's snail-paced penal justice system would also be streamlined.
    As well, the reform would restore false accounting to the status of a full-blown crime from the misdemeanour, non-custodial status in order to help address public concern over waves of corruption scandals.
    Changes reducing the status of false accounting had been made under the former Berlusconi government.
    Other key points include making magistrates accountable for their actions, as well as new legislation on wiretaps and on depoliticising the judiciary.