The request for conviction. The former mayor Mario Occhiuto, now a senator of Forza Italia, finds himself facing a request for conviction made by the Court of Auditors in relation to facts attributable to when he carried out his duties as mayor. With Occhiuto, some of his former councilors are on trial. The former administrators reject the accusations and disputes and defend themselves vigorously.
Alfredo Antoniozzi, parliamentarian from Cosenza and deputy group leader at the Chamber of Brothers of Italy, intervenes on the matter. Regarding the request for a sanction from the accounting judiciary, the deputy states: «I have not read the objections from the Prosecutor’s Office of the Court of Auditors against Senator Mario Occhiuto but I understand that they concern technical aspects over which the political power should have less possible responsibilities. It doesn’t seem to me that the protests concern increased spending but the inability to recover taxes: if we took a look at Italian cities we would find 99% of the identical situation. The political bodies give the direction then it is up to the technicians to provide the solutions – says Antoniozzi – and also to make the right observations to put the brakes on. It concerns Occhiuto but also other Calabrian and southern mayors – continues Antoniozzi – most of whom are dealing with predisposition and disruption. I am certain that Mario Occhiuto will be able to demonstrate that he is not involved in any charges during the two levels of judgment – states Antoniozzi – but I am concerned that our legislation gives responsibility to the political class by not taking into account the principle of separation of powers. We cannot think that a mayor or a councilor has the skills that are typical of technicians – he concludes – and in the past governments have favored metropolitan cities which would have all ended up in bankruptcy without the special laws and this too should lead to mutual reflection” .
The assessments are now the responsibility of magistrates who act in absolute autonomy and on the basis of criteria anchored to current legislation.
In recent times, the magistrates of the Court of Auditors have been intervening in several municipalities in our province by examining accounting papers and resolutions dating back to recent years.
Mario Occhiuto protests that he is not involved in the disputes and will have to be considered as such until the matter is resolved with a final sentence.
