“In Liguria it is easy to win against comrades and judges, but the center-right must believe in Toti. The majority is a guarantor on alternate days. Apart from a few press releases, the former governor abandoned by those who were supposed to defend him, without ifs and buts. Berlusconi’s liberal lesson has not been understood. Without it, however, neither I nor other victims of miscarriages of justice would have ever prevailed over the red robes”. This is what Giancarlo Galan, former president of the Veneto Region, said, known for having suffered an ordeal similar to that of the resigning president of Liguria and for having transformed the club of a certain judiciary into the glue that then allowed him to prevail in what was considered the cradle of mother DC.
What advice would you give to Toti?
«First of all, he should not give up on a real judicial persecution. Never give up. Toti must refuse immediate judgment and demand a real trial. If I had done it, it would have been fun. If there is something I regret today, it is not having pursued this path. I was induced, unfortunately, to behave in a certain way. Indeed, I was “blackmailed”. Even today, in fact, I do not know the reason why I was put in prison. They should explain it to me. No one ever questioned me. The fear that I had brought out something uncomfortable probably prevailed. Prison, towards me, was used as torture».
Why, then, did he accept the plea bargain?
“The answer is simple. I had a 7-year-old daughter and as a father I couldn’t act differently. Otherwise they would have asked for an immediate trial and, given that we were in Venice, it was almost obvious what the sentence would be. I would have started serving my sentence and then I would have had to wait for the appeal. I could have remained two or three years in a common cell without protection. It’s easy, therefore, to understand the reasons for my decision.”
From a political point of view, what do you feel like saying to your centre-right?
The now ex-governor of Liguria resigned after being under house arrest for 86 days in his home in Amaglia. His resignation as president of the Region was decisive. Toti had been accused first of corruption and then of illicit financing for some paid ads. “He should be more of a guarantor. Instead, he is, on alternate days or rather in words. Apart from a few press releases, Toti has been left alone.”
Minister Nordio, however, is a supporter of justice from the very beginning…
«I had the opportunity to meet him in Venice. When preventive detention was discussed, he maintained that it wasn’t hurting anyone.
Let’s not forget it.”
What are the reasons why Toti would not have received strong support?
“Toti has suffered a cowardice. Despite this, he has not been defended enough. As far as I’m concerned, I was abandoned because it was a delicate moment for Berlusconi. We were in the Ruby-ter era. At this stage, however, I do not understand this distancing. In fact, it does not seem to me that anyone is breaking the bank to support him”.
Isn’t there a risk of handing Liguria over to the left?
“First of all, we need to close ranks. If we are not united, we lose. While in Rome there is unity, in the territories there are accumulating motivations that end up dividing. I am referring to significant personal legacies, which at a national level are easily overcome, thanks to strong leadership, such as Meloni’s.”
The judicial ordeal, in his case, however, helped his group to regain its lost unity…
“I don’t know. I think, rather, that I was able to count on a cohesive team, which with my courage to expose myself, became a battleship.”
What do you think of the recent justice reform?
“It’s always better than the previous ones, but I expected more. This is said by someone who was dragged into politics to complete the liberal revolution. In this Italy, unfortunately, there are still too many magistrates who do what they want.”
So, is the liberal front weak?
“Italy has never been a liberal country. This component, due to the Catholic, Communist and post-war influence in general, has never managed to find its place. This is the reason why Berlusconi’s revolution made inroads into the country.”
#Toti #left #wont #win #wing #guarantees #day #Tempo
2024-08-14 01:03:34
