Nordio hails 'historic' justice reform

(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 29 - Justice Minister Carlo Nordio hailed his reform of the judiciary's career paths, which stops prosecutors and judges from switching between roles, as a "historic measure" on Wednesday after it was approved by cabinet and he dismissed assertions that it was an attempt to increase the government's power over prosecutors.
    "The judiciary is an autonomous (professional) order, independent of any other power, and it is composed of the magistrates on the judging career path and those on the prosecuting career path," Nordio said of his Constitutional reform bill "We have given Constitutional importance to the fact that a prosecutor's office is, must be, and will remain, independent of any interference by the executive power, and of any pressure from other bodies.
    "It enjoys, and will continue to enjoy, the same guarantees of independence as a judging magistrate".
    He said the reform also changes the make-up of the judiciary's self-governing body, the CSM, and changes the way CSM justices are electing, using a draw process.
    He said this will put an end to the chronic factionalism that has beset the Italian judiciary as seen in some influence-peddling scandals of recent years.
    "Breaking this link, which led to a whole series of anomalies, via a draw was our main task," he said. (ANSA).