Renzi denies attacking magistrates (2)

(ANSA) - Rome, April 4 - Premier Matteo Renzi on Monday denied attacking magistrates. "Saying we have attacked the judiciary means you're out of touch with reality - it did not happen," Renzi said. "I pressed for a verdict - I said the center-right invokes legitimate impediment (to avoid showing up at trials) while we urge speedy trials... Italian politics has been de-Berlusconized, unlike the press". Renzi said earlier that "some investigations by the Potenza judiciary have an Olympics-like timing and they never resulted in a verdict".
    The premier added that "it hurts me when trials fail to result in verdicts and when it takes eight years to reach a first-instance trial - but I am not challenging the judiciary".
    "The Charter says we must wait for the definitive verdict.
    Recovering the idea of justice and constitutional guarantees is a leftwing idea - it is not an attack on magistrates but rather defending (them) and constitutional guarantees," Renzi said. "We must allow magistrates to be prompt in their verdicts... so we can look our political opponents in the eye," he added.
    "Not only am I not anybody's servant, I am a party leader who has never taken money from oil companies," Renzi said.
    "But I defend (State-controlled oil and gas giant) ENI because this is how it's done in civilized countries and I ask ENI to continue investing. Anyone found stealing must go to prison".