Claims by Defence Minister Guido
Crosetto that elements within the judiciary are forming
"judicial opposition" to Premier Giorgia Meloni's government are
a "very serious" accusation, Italian magistrates union ANM
President Giuseppe Santalucia said on Tuesday.
"'Judicial opposition' is an unacceptable term at a
constitutional level. We are not a party that opposes the
government," Santalucia told on Sky Tg 24.
In an interview to Corriere della Sera published on Sunday
Crosetto said he had "heard about meetings of a faction within
the judiciary in which they talk about how to 'stop the
anti-democratic drift Meloni is leading us to'".
"Since we have seen all sorts of things in the past, if I know
this country, I expect this season to open soon, before the
European elections," said Crosetto, a member of Meloni's
right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party.
Meanwhile, the parliamentary anti-mafia commission on Tuesday
turned down a request from the left-wing opposition Democratic
Party (PD) to schedule a hearing with the minister on the
contents of the interview on grounds this does not fall within
its remit.
"In consideration of Minister Guido Crosetto's public
willingness to report (on the matter), it is useful for him to
do so in the most appropriate parliamentary fora," the
commission said in a statement.
Earlier in the day Crosetto said he would be glad to report to
parliament but that, since he is not the justice minister, "out
of institutional respect" he would prefer to do so in committees
such as as the anti-mafia commission or Copasir (the
intelligence-oversight commission).
"I'll let them decide which they think is best," he said.
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