'Judges mustn't criticize laws - politics must tone it down'

(ANSA) - ROME, NOV 10 - Justice Minister Carlo Nordio on Sunday expressed the hope that members of the judiciary will criticize less the "political nature" of laws and that policy makers will "tone it down" in criticizing sentences, addressing via video link a congress of the judiciary's left-wing faction Magistratura Democratica (MD), one of the groups within the National Association of Magistrates (ANM), the judiciary's union.
    "We want dialogue with the judiciary because we know that magistrates are called to implement laws.
    "Another problem is criticism of the political nature and content of laws once they have been approved and (President Sergio) Mattarella has been very clear about this", noted Nordio.
    "I hope that in future dialogue there will be increasingly less criticism from members of the judiciary on the political merit of laws in Parliament and that politicians will tone it down in criticizing sentences", said Nordio. (ANSA).