'Never said prosecutors should be under executive'- La Russa

(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 21 - Senate Speaker Ignazio La Russa on Monday denied ever saying he wanted State attorneys to be under the executive's control after an interview he gave to Rome daily Repubblica on the role of the judiciary sparked a controversy.
    "I never said nor thought that it is necessary to put prosecutors under the executive", he said, commenting his statements on the role of the judiciary.
    "On the contrary, I clearly said that the majority, opposition and judiciary must agree to resolve the issue of the limit between political functions and those of the judiciary", he said on the sidelines of the general assembly of Assolombarda.
    La Russa said he "had suggested to define by mutual consent limits to the extensive interpretation of laws, which is today indefinite and causes quarrels" and, replying to a journalist's question, said this could even be achieved "with a constitutional law, if necessary".
    Meanwhile Democratic Party (PD) Senate whip Francesco Boccia said on Monday that the ruling coalition, and in particular La Russa and Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, had not listened to the words of President Sergio Mattarella who urged institutions on Sunday to respect one another saying they " belong and respond to the entire community and everyone must be able to recognize themselves in them".
    "Nordio didn't listen, La Russa didn't listen" when he "questioned in a surprising interview the separation of powers".
    Boccia invoked the risk of an "institutional clash" after government members, and in particular Nordio, slammed a Rome court decision not to validate the detention of a group of migrants at newly opened Italian-run centres in Albania as part of a government scheme for accelerated border procedures.
    "And all this for moving 16 migrants treated like packages" under a scheme "which cost nearly one billion (euros) - one billion which could have been used for healthcare", said Boccia.
    "President La Russa, the second highest office, must clarify if he intends to put the judiciary under the executive - it would be grave", the PD Senate whip said. (ANSA).