Interview with the Italian Minister of the Interior Annamaria Cancellieri

interview Interview with the Italian Minister of the Interior Annamaria Cancellieri Anna Maria Cancellieri was born in Rome in 1943. She graduated in Politi- cal Sciences and in 1972 started her leading career at the Ministry of the Inte- rior. In 1993 she was appointed Prefect. She had been Commissioner of Parma and later served as a Prefect in various Italian municipalities: Bergamo, Vicen- za, Brescia, Genoa, and Catania. She was appointed Extraordinary Commissioner in Bologna in 2010 and in Parma in 2011. She has been serving as the Minister of the Interior since November 16th, 2011. Prefect Annamaria Cancellieri was appointed Minister of the Interior of the Monti government: the second woman - after Rosa Russo Iervolino - to hold such a delica- te position in the history of the Italian Republic. She is a practical and friendly woman who has always been serving as Prefect and Extraordinary Commissioner with a strong enthusiasm and one who has proven competence and dedication in leading a traditionally "male" Ministry. She is a wife, mother, and grand-mother and loves - and is loved by - her grandchil- dren with whom she plays in Rome's public parks in the few moments of escape from her role as Minister of the Interior She is well aware of the complicated phase our country is going through and an- swered Gnosis' questions frankly and with the optimism typical of those who know that a response to the crisis has to be built day by day sharing responsibilities and carrying out one's own tasks 1 interview Dear Minister, in a period when recession is widespread and economic growth is still difficult - everyday workers are dismissed, laid off and staff is reduced due to increa- singly fewer jobs - what are the real risks sparking more social tensions? The times we are living in are not easy. With the economic crisis, the social stability of our country has been severely questioned but, luckily, our citizens have reacted in a dignified and polite way, well aware of the difficul- ties Italy is facing. We all need to be always vigilant so as to look to the future with trust in the Institutions and in a possible growth for our country. During protests and parades, what is the cohesive element between antagonism and work places and between anarchism and schools/universities? Unfortunately, we live in a time and in a world where social "cohesion" as we usually understand it is very rare. This is also true for young people. During protests and parades I believe that, as it is often the case, and as was sometimes also the case during other protest periods, the most radical fringes try to "control" the body of the protesters and increase their aggressiveness towards Police Forces. What is the difference between "street demonstrations" and "protest movements" in 2012 compared with the meaning of the same concepts in 1968? Half a century has now passed. In 1968 the world was different …: we lived in a country and in a Europe which, after the world war and the migratory flows, dreamt of a future of jobs and a good quality of life. The movement protested against wearing ties, bureaucracy, formalism and elite schools. Teenagers and youngsters - considered for the first time as a "category" - wanted to take part in the boom which started in the 1960s in the name of a uto- pian social equality and of "power to the imagination." Now the situation is completely reversed: street demonstrations are motiva- ted by the job crisis, the need to face a dark future. The younger generations will probably have a socio-economic standard of living worse than that of their pa- rents. In your opinion why do protestors and the political-leading branch of street demon- strators not have charismatic leaders? Leaders cannot be invented. A leader is always a mix of personal talents and results obtained. In an era when communication is disposable, society is fragmented and liquid, with social and economic problems at local and cen- tral levels, it is more and more difficult to find people who are able to affirm their leadership. 2 interview How much are you concerned about the invasiveness of organized crime and Ma- fias in sectors such as production/distribution and investments connected with major public projects? When I was a Prefect in the South of Italy I saw how difficult it was for en- trepreneurs to try to escape the yoke of organized crime and the many grey areas which hinder development in the South. The bond of secrecy and the "tolerance" of certain phenomena, typical of certain areas of our country, is not part of the culture of the North of Italy where the citizens have a strong capability to react, being well aware of their rights and do not yield to abuses but tend to denounce them. However, in Milan as in other rich Italian and European areas I had the opportunity to observe that, even if the citizens were capable of reacting, the Ma- fias try to penetrate the "wealthy" circles. Unfortunately, that is why Milan is so attractive and will increase its attractiveness in sight of the 2015 Expo. The Legality Protocol signed between Società Expo 2015 and the Prefectu- re of Milan in February 2012 helps counter Mafia infiltrations in public ten- ders and constructions by means of a preventive control of all the entities be- longing to the companies involved and without any threshold limits for con- tract values. This type of control has also been possible by ensuring the respect of the laws on financial flows traceability. The revolutions which have changed our country have often begun in Mi- lan. I think that even on this occasion Milan might give a valid contribution to law and order. As a Minister, you have been very attentive also to local realities which you have often analyzed with frequent travels and firm interventions: which regions do you think are more at risk for crime in this historical moment? It would be wrong to make a list. As Minister of the Interior I must have a general picture of all the emergencies. However, I am not revealing any secrets if I say that we are carefully monitoring both the South of Italy, especially those areas where organized crime has traditionally a strong foothold, and the North of Italy where the Mafias try to do business. What could the Regional Committees and Administrations do to support the activities and efforts of the Law Enforcement Agencies? I always say that mayors are our first allies. I have a very good relationship with them and I believe that they are fundamental partners for the Police For- ces. In particular, the local administrators help us when they succeed in improving the social cohesion of their communities. They are very constructive also when they play an active role in spreading and enforcing law and order. 3 interview What are currently the main risks for our society? And how much does the economic crisis affect the risk profiles? The economic crisis may facilitate crime and its spreading, as it produces debt and makes it more difficult to access credit. This is the reason why we have to swing the situation in favour of those who say no to crime. Adopting an anti-Mafia code, respecting the national laws against black labour, tax avoi- dance and tax evasion should become business and profit opportunities for companies In your opinion, how could the situation in Val di Susa be solved? The High Speed Train (TAV) line could become a matter of public order, while in reality it should represent an opportunity for local communities and the Institutions. It is a priority for our government as it leads to the development and modernization of our country, as it has also been recently stressed during the bilateral Summit between Prime Minister Monti and President Hollande. In your opinion, how much is the security culture widespread in Italy? What could we do to enhance it? I have been thinking about how security is perceived for a long time. We live in a time when fears are increasing: anxiousness and concerns seem to be a psychological component of this historical moment. Also "petty crimes" are criminal acts and it was a mistake to underestimate them in the past. Repression by itself does not lead to security. We can give concrete replies by improving also the relationship with Police Forces, administrations and trade associations. It is the whole process of security education which enhan- ces trust in the Institutions. Does the concept of Law Enforcement coincide with that of public security? Traditionally, Law Enforcement mainly refers to countering and reducing crimes, namely those which for their aggressiveness have an impact on com- munity life. On the contrary, public security is perceived by the citizens as a primary right and an essential component of the quality of life: such a right has to be protected from any type of crime in the working and everyday life environ- ment. How much is it possible to create "ethical indicators" - and not only from a legal point of view - in the fight against corruption? 4 interview Generally speaking, corruption is the moral and spiritual degeneration of a person or a society who have lost their sense of honesty, dignity, and respect for themselves and for the others. More specifically and technically we refer to corruption when in politics or in public administrations the moral duty is compromised by money or by a particular interest of any kind: personal, familiar, social, economic, political, cultural or even religious.

Load more