Mafia intimidation of mayors and councillors up - DIA

(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 18 - The national anti-mafia investigative directorate (DIA) said Tuesday that mafia intimidation of mayors and local councillors was on the rise in Italy.
    "Cases of intimidation against local administrators, both municipal councillors and mayors, are on the rise", said the director of the DIA, Michele Carbone, on the sidelines of the presentation of its report on activities carried out in the first half of 2023.
    "This happens where corruption does not come into the equation, when that fails intimidation begins, " he explained.
    "There are episodes of collusion in the political and administrative apparatuses, as demonstrated by the long series of municipal councils dissolved for mafia infiltration," said Carbone.
    "Where the many public administrations oppose these infiltrations, they are subjected to harassment and threats to make them bow down to these organisations." (ANSA).