Green light from the Senate Hall to anti-corruption bill, which returns to the House for the fourth reading. The Government had raised the question of trust on the measure. There were 256 votes in favour, 7 against, 4 abstentions. The League also voted in favor of the measure as a whole. Among the fundamental innovations, the creation of two new types of crime: the traffic of influences and the corruption between private individuals.
The text it does not contain a set of norms: the restoration of false accounting (decriminalized in 2002 by the second Berlusconi government), the crime of self-laundering (invoked by the EU and the Bank of Italy) and that of swapping votes. The crime of bribery (committed by a public official who takes bribes) is broken down into two cases: for "corruption by coercion" the penalties remain unchanged at a maximum of 12 years and are exacerbated from 3 to 4 years at a minimum, while for " undue induction” the penalty drops from 12 to 8 years, with a consequent reduction in the limitation period from 15 to 10 years.
“We are in the finishing straight on the anti-corruption law – commented the Premier Mario Monti -. It's a law essential for creating the country's attractiveness and growth. Even the Emir of Qatar, not the King of Norway, doesn't invest more in Italy because he fears 'corruption'”.
The Minister of Justice, Paula Severino, instead underlined that “the laws are all perfectible, but to me this seems like a strong and balanced text. Parliament has shared it with strong and significant numbers”. At this point, according to the Keeper of the Seals “the first commitment is for the exchange vote“. As for theineligibility for those convicted with a final sentence, “the subject is already being worked on and in absolute timeliness – Severino assured again -. As soon as the bill is passed, this issue will also be addressed". However, the risk is that this measure will not enter into force in time to take effect in the next political elections.
Finally, the reactions from the number one of the majority. Pier Ferdinando Casini, leader of the UDC, is enthusiastic: “Finally the anti-corruption law. We couldn't stand the waste of time anymore". The secretary of the PDL, Angelino Alfano, also approves the Government's decision to trust: “I am very happy that the Government has chosen to trust the anti-corruption bill. It's the right choice to speed things up”. The secretary of the Pd, Pier Luigi Bersani, is instead more cautious: "It is a significant step forward, but the task is not finished".
