RESOLUTION B3-0765, 0774, 0777, 0811, 0821, 0844 AND 0847/92

Resolution on the murder of Giovanni Falcone and the need to combat organized crime in the European Community

The European Parliament,

A.appalled by the murder of Giovanni Falcone, his wife and three policemen near Palermo on 23 May 1992,

B.having regard to Judge Falcone's long commitment to and work in the fight against the Mafia, which enabled considerable progress to be made in tracing the leaders of this criminal organization in Italy and abroad, particularly in the United States,

C.recalling that these are only the most recent in a long series of murders of those who have courageously challenged the power of organized crime in Italy, which threatens the democratic state and the moral and physical well-being of citizens, not only in Italy, but also in other Member States,

D.insisting that such flagrant abuses constitute a violation of human rights which the European Community and its Member States are pledged to observe,

E.whereas organized crime operates internationally, in particular through drugs trafficking and money-laundering, and occupies an increasingly important role in the economy and finance,

F.whereas the Mafia and organized crime are now widespread international phenomena and as such require the commitment and participation of the Community institutions and the other Community Member States in the fight against such crime,

G.deploring the connections and even complicity of some political personalities and civil servants with organized crime,

H.whereas our democratic systems could disintegrate as a result of this situation,

1.Condemns these cowardly murders and expresses its profound sympathy with the families of the victims of the Palermo massacre;

2.Deplores the loss of one of the most courageous fighters against organized crime, who had set up a team of Sicilian magistrates to combat it;

3.Expresses its solidarity with all those in Sicily and other parts of Italy who are taking on the power of organized crime;

4.Calls on Italy and its democratic institutions to put an end to the power of organized crime, which is a flagrant infringement of the fundamental rights and freedoms of Italian citizens, and insists that this must be seen as part of the campaign of the European Community and its Member States to secure respect for human rights;

5.Notes the measures already taken by the Italian Government to deal with this phenomenon;

6.Calls on the governments of all Member States to intensify their cooperation in the struggle against organized crime, which requires Community legislation for the establishment of a Community police force and measures, applicable in all Member States, to stop the activities of organizations like the Mafia in, for example, the laundering of money;

7.Believes it to be essential to mobilize public opinion against the criminals and therefore welcomes indications that many Sicilians are offering their assistance to the police and publicly demonstrating their disgust with the Mafia;

8.Urges all political parties to purge their ranks of those who, by inaction or by placing obstacles in the way of the competent legal authorities, assist organized crime;

9.Calls for adequate specialist vocational training for the national organizations responsible for intelligence-gathering and investigation, with a view to combating organized crime;

10.Supports measures giving judges in the Member States the necessary material resources for investigation, specialization and essential training in this area;

11.Calls for judges' independence to be protected against pressure from the political authorities;

12.Calls on the Commission and the Council, in close cooperation with the Italian Government and judiciary and in collaboration with the European Parliament, in accordance with the recommendations of the latter's Committee of Inquiry, to step up the fight against organized crime;

13.Calls on the Commission, furthermore, to ascertain the degree to which the security forces and financial authorities of each Community Member State and of those countries which have applied to join the Community are prepared to cooperate, in particular in putting an end to the laundering of money from Mafia activities;

14.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and Council, the governments of the Member States, the President of the Italian Republic, the President of the Regional Assembly of Sicily and the Mayor of Palermo.