No conflict between politics and the judiciary says Meloni

(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 12 - Premier Giorgia Meloni said Wednesday there is no conflict between politics and the judiciary, on the day ANSA sources reported that tensions between the government and magistrates over the case of an undersecretary had reached the judiciary's self-governing body, the CSM.
    "Let me take this opportunity to clarify," Meloni told reporters in Vilnius, Lithuania.
    "There has been a lot of controversy, I have read curious things," she continued.
    "From my point of view there is no conflict with the judiciary.
    I think those who are counting on the return of conflict between politics and the judiciary will be disappointed," she said.
    Last week the government criticised a judge's decision to forcibly indict Justice Undersecretary Andrea Delmastro for allegedly revealing classified information, suggesting that some magistrates had joined the opposition.
    The criticism prompted the Italian union of magistrates ANM to accuse the government of delegitimising the judiciary, and on Wednesday magistrates belonging to the 'AREA' group called on the CSM to criticise its attack, calling it a "serious and unjustified accusation" that "calls into question the impartiality of the decisions and the independence of the judiciary".
    In recent weeks there have also been tense exchanges between Justice Minister Carlo Nordio and magistrates over proposed justice reforms.
    "We have a clear agenda, a mandate that has been given to us by citizens, and we will carry it out because we are people who keep our promises," Meloni told reporters in the Lithuanian capital in relation to the reforms.
    "We agree that in Italy the justice system needs to be corrected, it needs to be made faster, more efficient, it needs to be and appear impartial," she said. Meloni said she had been "surprised" by the statement from ANM claiming the proposed separation of the career paths of prosecutors and judges so they can no longer switch from one side to the other is intended to punish magistrates for decisions the government doesn't like.
    "There is a risk of slipping into an debate that is not helpful," said Meloni, adding that the government's "historical goal" of career separation "and the choices that magistrates make on specific cases should (not) be lumped together".
    "They are two different issues, we need to make a distinction," she continued.
    "There is no desire on the part of the government to open a conflict" or to enact reform "against magistrates", insisted Meloni.
    "In fact, we hope to be able to do it with the contribution of magistrates," she said. (ANSA).