ANM urges 'no to return to past'

(ANSA) - Rome, September 17 - The president of magistrates' union ANM, Francesco Minisci, on Monday expressed the desire "not to return to the past" referring to tension between the judiciary and politicians following a controversial government proposal on a legitimate defense reform easing gun access.
    "We hope there won't be a return to the past, which is not good for anyone", said Minisci, president of the National Magistrates' Association.
    "We will certainly not be the ones to encourage clashes and controversy.
    "We have at heart the safety of citizens, we are only thinking about that, the rest doesn't concern us".
    In previous statements, Minisci had described a reform of legitimate-defense legislation currently in the Senate as "risky" as it could "legitimize very serious crimes including homicide" and had been criticized for "pitch invasion" by its promoter, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, the leader of the rightist populist League.
    On Monday, the ANM chief said the union intervenes on proposed legislation by "expressing opinions of a technical-judicial nature" and for this reason "we have been invited to give our opinion by the Senate's justice committee, where we will go tomorrow".
    Salvini has said a new law to boost self-defense rights "is one of our priorities".