Vincenzo Musacchio:
Vincenzo Musacchio: ''Maximum attention on the links between the mafia and politics''
The criminologist who was recently heard at the European Parliament speaks
Professor Musacchio, are the relationships between mafias and politics in our country and in Europe really worrying?
They are worrying because they exist and are undergoing continuous evolution, taking into account that the new mafias have close relationships with politics, the economic and financial world. These contacts strengthen them and make them more dangerous than the criminal organizations of the past. Voting, especially if involving the mafia, is also a danger for democracy. It is rooted in all democratic apparatuses, which is why there is an absolute need to continue to be vigilant while always keeping our guard up.
How does this exchange vote happen? Can you explain it simply?
The mafias choose the candidate and always focus on the winning team and, unfortunately, they rarely make mistakes. They offer packages of votes in exchange for business and profits of all kinds. The mafia is not right, left or centre, but it knows how to find the "right" people within each of the three camps who are useful for its criminal interests. For now this bond has strengthened. In one of the most corrupt countries in the European Union, honesty is an "almost crime". In Italy, the mafia and politics are now symbiotic. Once upon a time it was the mafiosi who went to politicians to ask for favours, today the opposite happens, it is the politicians who look for the mafiosi and integrate with them and do business.
What could Italy and the member states of the European Union do to fight these collusions?
The State has the task of making good laws. In this case it should be excellent ones to have a concrete impact on the fight against these forms of crime. We then need a true moral and cultural revolution capable of also having an impact on the mafia. Today it is convenient to commit crime, so I hope that it will soon become inappropriate. For now, unfortunately, this is not the case.
How has the mafia-politics relationship changed in recent years?
As I always tell my students, the mafias no longer infiltrate politics or the economy but integrate with both. Today we are witnessing a functional mutual completion through appropriate unions and compensations. The new mafias become a permanent part of a political or economic group, of a public structure, of a company or community, assimilating and merging with those who are part of it. You have shared goals and common interests. This state of affairs should be very worrying.
Do you think the repeal of abuse of office will have an impact on the fight against relations between the mafia and politics?
I answer your question bluntly. Repealing the abuse of office, modifying the trafficking of illicit influence and reducing the control powers of the Court of Auditors means encouraging mafia infiltration into public administration and therefore also relations between mafias and politics.
While we're on the subject, what do you think of the forty-five day limit on wiretapping introduced by the Zanettin bill?
It is undoubtedly a major limitation to investigative activity and will also produce negative effects in the fight against organized crime that acts through the so-called. spy crimes, i.e. common crimes for which the limit would apply. It will no longer be possible to intercept crimes such as extortion, usury, corruption, money laundering, robbery, drug dealing, multiple cyber crimes and probably even murder.
Episodes of political-mafia exchange voting are increasing, what image should we form of current politics?
As a premise to your question, it is good to remember that criminal responsibility is personal. Consequently, we must always distinguish between responsibility in the exercise of one's functions and individual responsibility. In the first case I believe that, in a healthy democracy, the first sanctions should come precisely from politics which, however, in all these years, has not developed the antibodies necessary to expel the so-called. “rotten apples”. Current politics is currently unable to clean up its own internal affairs. For this reason, its image is largely compromised.
The governor of your region (Molise) would be under investigation for corruption within a maxi operation of the DDA of Campobasso, can we ask you what opinion you have on the matter?
As a jurist I say that we will have to wait for the developments of the trial, assuming there will be one. As a citizen, however, I express a very negative opinion. If there were to be an indictment, I believe that the President of the Region should immediately resign from his public office. I make you understand my thoughts better. If you were a parent, would you entrust your child to someone accused of sexual assault on a minor? I think not. Why, then, should we citizens continue to entrust the leadership of the Region to someone accused of corruption? I reiterate that mine is only an opinion of an ethical and political nature and not a legal one. I remember, however, that the art. 54 of our Constitutional Charter, forgotten by many, establishes that citizens entrusted with public functions have the duty to fulfill them with discipline and honor. In my opinion, someone accused of a serious crime such as corruption would violate this article by continuing to exercise a public function. We return to the previous discussion. It should be politics that cleans up its own internal affairs and not wait for the sentences of the judiciary. This, unfortunately, will not happen.
Professor, which sectors of political activity are most subject to mafia infiltration?
Those where large amounts of money circulate. First of all, procurement, as demonstrated by the many investigations carried out in recent years both in Italy and in Europe. Then certainly national and European grants and economic aid. The healthcare, hazardous and non-hazardous waste sectors. Corruption, now perceived almost as necessary, reigns supreme, creating immeasurable damage that inevitably falls on citizens.
In light of what we have said so far, what can we do to ensure that the current pathology does not worsen further?
To effectively combat the new mafias, it is necessary to refine the strategies to fight financial crime and corruption. This should be the first step. Modern mafia-type criminal organizations have in their genetic heritage the ability to adapt to the variability of the territorial contexts in which they operate. They have an important network of relationships also at a supranational level. Unfortunately, the State, the European Union and the International Community have not adapted to these mafia transformations. Today we are not sufficiently prepared in terms of modern investigations and we do not have truly effective enforcement strategies. A lot of work will need to be done on these aspects and we will need to act in the shortest possible time.
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