Lower House gives final approval to wiretap bill

(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 20 - The Lower House on Wednesday night gave final approval to a bill limiting wiretaps in criminal investigations.
    The bill, which had already received a green light from the Senate on October 9 last year, passed with 147 votes in favour, 67 against and one abstention.
    The legislation, drafted by centre-right Forza Italia (FI) Senator Pierantonio Zanettin, sets a 45-day limit for wiretaps.
    The limit can only be extended in cases in which it is "absolutely indispensable" as part of investigative operations, if it is justified by "specific and concrete elements", which need to be motivated, according to the text.
    The time limit does not concern terrorism and organized crime cases.
    Members of the centre-left opposition and the judiciary have protested against the measure, saying it will affect investigations into serious charges including murder and gender-based violence.
    "It is a very grave error because it cracks down in an unprecedented way" on wiretaps used in investigations "into very serious crimes like homicide", said the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) whip in the justice commission, MP Federico Gianassi.
    Deputy Justice Minister Francesco Paolo Sisto defended the measure, explaining that it will "not limit in any way investigative needs" since "wiretaps will be regularly ordered, but will need stronger motivations".
    On Thursday Cesare Parodi, the president of the judiciary's union, the National association of Magistrates (ANM), told State broadcaster RAI's Tg2 that the measure would make it more difficult for investigators to determine the truth when probing crimes including robbery, sexual violence or child abuse.
    "Wiretaps connected to a series of crimes will have a 45-day deadline that can be extended with a more restrictive law", Parodi said of the reform.
    "It is certainly a legitimate choice for the government, but it will undoubtedly make it more difficult to establish the truth for certain crimes: I am thinking about robberies, sexual violence or domestic abuse on minors", he told the news program.
    (ANSA).