President Sergio Mattarella warned
about the danger of private entities taking on roles that used
to be reserved for the State is his traditional end-of-year
encounter with top institutional figures.
"The modern state was founded on the monopoly on the use of
military force and (printing) money," he said.
"These two pillars are today challenged by the prospect of a
progressive privatisation of public power, by the initiative of
private financial powers, capable of challenging State
prerogatives, even on those two fronts.
"Owners of immense wealth who now have a de facto monopoly in
several key sectors and are building parallel, private monetary
circuits".
Mattarella also commented on the current war-ravaged
international scenario.
"We are faced with contradictory feelings in these days
approaching the New Year," he said.
"On the one hand, the need to share the hope of a future of
serenity and peace, matched by the prospects that the
discoveries of science offer humanity.
"On the other, deep concern at a time characterised by wars and
violence that make the world's horizon uncertain".
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