Recent justice reform has slowed down
proceedings and failed to deliver on people's expectations said
Naples prosecutor Nicola Gratteri on Friday, quipping that a ban
on fishing would have been preferable.
"In light of the reforms I have seen in the last two years, I
would hope for a fishing prohibition. I would hope that these
reforms do not continue," said the country's top' Ndrangheta
prosecutor
"Because the reforms I have seen, from Cartabia onwards, have
led to a slowdown in the (judicial) process," he continued.
Former constitutional court judge Marta Cartabia served as
justice minister in the government of Mario Draghi from 2021 to
2022.
"But above all, the saddest thing is that the answers that
people and users of justice expected have not been provided," he
added.
The comments came the day after Justice Minister Carlo Nordio
defended a controversial proposed justice reform including the
separation of the career paths of Italian judges and prosecutors
so they can longer move between the roles, a clamp-down on the
publication of information obtained from wiretaps, the
cancellation of prosecutors' rights to appeal against acquittals
for many minor crimes and the abolition of the crime of abuse of
office, among other things.
Gratteri also said mooted plans to introduce psycho-attitudinal
tests for magistrates reflected an "obsession" by politics with
the judiciary.
"This discourse will lead to magistrates who are perfect
bureaucrats, their soul will not emerge, they will not follow
their heart to take risks, to open an investigation, this is the
tragedy," said the prosecutor, one of Italy's most high-profile
anti-mafia figures who has spent decades under police
protection.
On the planned separation of careers, he warned that "the next
step is that the 1,800 public prosecutors will come under the
executive, i.e. they will depend on the Ministry of Justice. Who
will be the conductor? Watch out," he said.
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