Corruption: the examination of the bill in the House will continue next week, but in the meantime some stakes have been set. The formalization of a code of ethics for public employees is highlighted. Objective, to ensure the quality of services, the prevention of corruption phenomena, compliance with the constitutional duties of diligence, loyalty, impartiality and exclusive service of the care of the public interest". Here are the essential points:
- Duties and sanctions for managers. The code, foreseen by a government amendment, contains a specific section dedicated to the duties of managers. There are penalties for those who violate the duties. The violation, in fact, "is a source of disciplinary liability, civil, administrative and accounting liability". And it is pointed out that serious or repeated violations of the code involve the application of the sanctions referred to in article 55-quater, paragraph 1, or the dismissal of the most undisciplined employees. Stringent rules and new stakes, then, for those who have been convicted, even with a sentence that has not become final. In fact, the government provision establishes that “they cannot be part, even with secretarial duties, of commissions for accessing or selecting public employment posts; they cannot be assigned, even with managerial functions, to the offices responsible for the management of financial resources, the acquisition of goods, services and supplies, as well as the granting or provision of subsidies, contributions, subsidies, financial aids or attributions of economic advantages to subjects public and private". Finally, they cannot be part of "the commissions for the choice of the contractor for the assignment of works, supplies and services, for the granting and disbursement of subsidies, contributions, subsidies, financial aids, as well as for the attribution of economic advantages of any kind".
- Fees and procedures. No state gifts. The Chamber approved the proposal of the commissions which provides for the prohibition for all public employees to request or accept, for any reason, compensation, gifts or other benefits, in connection with the performance of their functions or assigned tasks, without prejudice to customary gifts, provided they are of modest value and within the limits of normal courtesy relations. As for procedures, an amendment (which saw the government succumb) affects the provisions concerning the organization of offices and work and employment relationships employed by public administrations. The objective is to encourage the publicity of positions and transparency in the management of fees. The amendment introduces tax liability for the employee who does not follow the correct procedures.
- Procurement. The contracting authorities are required to publish the proposing structure, the object of the tender, the list of operators invited to submit the offer, the successful tenderer and the award amount, the completion times of the work on their institutional websites , service or supply, the amount of the liquidated sums. By 31 January of each year, this information, which concerns the previous year, is published in summary tables which are freely downloadable so as to allow the computer data to be analyzed and re-processed, also for statistical purposes.
