The centre-right majority in the
Lower House EU Policies Committee on Wednesday voted to reject a
new European Union directive on combating corruption, upholding
the opinion of rapporteur Antonio Giordano of Premier Giorgia
Meloni's Brothers of Italy (FdI) party that it "would clearly be
in contrast with the principle of subsidiarity and the principle
of proportionality".
The centre-left opposition Democratic Party (Pd) and populist
opposition Five Star Movement (M5S) voted in favour of the
proposed directive, which seeks to update the existing EU legal
framework on fighting corruption in consideration of the
evolution of corruption threats and national and international
law.
Pd committee whip Piero De Luca said the decision sent a
"devastating signal" from the right on corruption.
"On the day of the commemoration of (slain anti-mafia
magistrate) Paolo Borsellino [...] the right-wing votes (to
uphold) a reasoned opinion contesting the necessity,
appropriateness, added value and substantive choices made by the
(European) Commission, sending a devastating signal of laxity
and weakening of the instruments to fight crime in Italy and
Europe," said De Luca.
Photo: Piero De Luca of the centre-left Democratic Party (Pd).
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