'Our decisions are not based on the cabinet's needs' - ANM

(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 22 - The central executive body of the judiciary's union, the National Association of Magistrates (ANM), on Monday called for the respect of the autonomy and independence of its members, stressing that the cabinet "can't expect magistrates to take decisions inspired by the need to cooperate" with the executive.
    "The National Association of Magistrates forcefully asks for the jurisdiction to be respected in a performance of its duties that is autonomous and independent", ANM said in a note. Magistrates cannot be expected "to take decisions inspired by the need to cooperate with the government in office".
    If members of the judiciary "acted according to the expectations" of policy makers, they would "betray their constitutional mandate", the note added.
    "Magistrates express deep concern when ridicule replaces criticism and the dissent of leading members of the government is expressed through allegations of ideological prejudices, abnormalities and of stepping into a sphere reserved to politics", ANM also said.
    Government members at the weekend accused judges of "overstepping their powers" when a Rome court nixed the detention of the first dozen migrants taken to a new Italian-run hosting centre in Albania, with Justice Ministe Carlo Nordio slamming the decision as "abnormal", and Premier Giorgia Meloni posted an extract of a prosecutor's email about her, implying members of the judiciary had an agenda against the government.
    (ANSA).