During a recent interview on the show Tagadà on La7, the president of the National Association of Magistrates (ANM), Giuseppe Santalucia, expressed concern about the distorted representation of the judiciary in the political debate. According to him, there is a perception of opposition between the government, seen as the good for the country, and the magistrates, perceived as enemies. Santalucia clarified that the role of the magistrate is not to support or oppose the government, but to guarantee the rights of citizens. He referred to the recent statements of Minister Matteo Salvini following the decision of the Bologna court to refer a decree on safe countries to the European Court.
Santalucia announced that he will participate in an extraordinary assembly in Bologna, underlining the climate of anxiety and concern that surrounds the work of judges due to political and media pressure. He denounced how it is unacceptable to label magistrates as politicized based on their decisions. He then asked Minister Salvini what the critical issues are regarding a measure that requires a judgment from the European Court of Justice.
The president of the ANM highlighted a growing intolerance towards a judiciary that does not follow government guidelines. He warned that this climate must not influence public opinion, since magistrates are not at the service of the government. The continuous attacks against judges who make unpopular decisions force the association to reiterate the importance of the autonomy and independence of the judiciary.
The Central Executive Committee of the ANM commented on the current situation, highlighting the heavy atmosphere in the country and the acceleration of reforms that could compromise the current constitutional framework. The association warned that attempts are being made to intimidate magistrates, highlighting how press articles often focus on the private lives of judges rather than the content of their decisions. In this context, attempts are being made to spread a negative image of magistrates through accusations of politicization whenever their sentences do not coincide with the expectations of the government in office.
The ANM hopes that respect for institutions and democratic logic may prevail again within the Italian legal system.
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