«The most dramatic memory of my experience as a minister? The tragedy of Cutro”. The fight against human trafficking is the recurring theme of the intense meeting with the Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi, who yesterday in Taormina in Piazza IX Aprile as part of the Taobuk festival spoke with the journalist Elvira Terranova in the presence of the highest authorities, including the prefects of Messina Cosima Di Stani and of Catania Maria Carmela Librizzi, the police commissioner Annino Gargano and the provincial commander of the Carabinieri Marco Carletti. And a deep thanks to the activity of the police punctuated the many themes relaunched by Terranova and explored in depth by Piantedosi.
From the capture of Matteo Messina Denaro, to the commitment to keeping the assets and companies confiscated from crime productive. From the fight against the “underground” mafia through financial investigations to listening to the needs relating to the condition of members of the police force and the need for community security.
A return also to the topic of wiretaps, raised the day before by my colleague Carlo Nordio referring to systems used by the mafia and “uncontrolled”: «A tool of undoubted relevance in investigations. I believe that Minister Nordio, who I appreciate, wanted to say that we certainly need to take a step forward on technologies, and I fully agree.”
At the top of the agenda is the issue of the fight against human trafficking – often also linked to gangmastering – which will also be at the center of the next G7 of Interior Ministers. Piantedosi clarified some aspects of the disputed agreement with Albania: «We aim to have a deterrent effect on transits that do not seek protection. Albania is a candidate country for EU membership, and has granted us jurisdiction to carry out accelerated border procedures. We invest sums, of course, but if it works we will reduce spending on the reception system which already costs 1 billion and 700 million.”
“At the G7 – he announced – we will aim for agreements aimed at intercepting the large fortunes that derive from migrant trafficking. In the meantime, today compared to last year, arrivals have decreased by 60%”.
