ABSTRACT: [Statement delivered...ed] A "programmatic alliance of the liberal, socialist and communist democratic forces" could be formed to oppose the mafia, an "international organization" of huge proportions which by now represents a "real threat" for the State. The assassination of Dalla Chiesa should not mark the end of any serious attempt to crush the organization. The Spadolini cabinet and the parties will need to answer "for their responsibilities regarding the process of expropriation" of the powers of the State.

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(PRESS RELEASE, 4 September 1982)

It is the security of the country itself which is being threatened by an international organization which can rely on a "budget" comparable in size to that of the State, on thousands on men scattered in the most important centres of power and on the parasitical nature of the administration of the state and of the local administrations. Defending the country from this real threat should involve the immediate conversion of all defensive means, adjusting them to the specific nature of what can be called, appropriately in this case, the "war" against the mafia.

For these reasons the country, the political forces and the government should realize the actual proportions of the threat and become aware of the fact that the possibility of winning over the mafia depends on the size of the appropriations, the quality and quantity of the means, the nature of the legislative instruments made available for this struggle.

We want to prevent the assassination of Dalla Chiesa from becoming the pretext to definitively set aside every serious attempt to crush this powerful subversive organization and, at the same time, ascertain the political responsibilities related to the assassination of the prefect of Palermo.

In its collegiality, the government will need first of all to answer the alarming questions that emerge from the interviews granted by the prefect himself to a series of press organs regarding the fact that not all organs of the state co-operated in this struggle and that adequate means to fight the mafia were never devised. The silence on this problem of the Prime Minister, Mr Spadolini, on illustrating the government platform, represents a serious act of complicity with those forces which have always hindered a serious action of the State against the mafia.

The parties will also need to answer for their responsibilities regarding the process of expropriation of the powers and functions of the administration of the State, of the local administrations and of the public economic and financial centres. The mafia has thrived precisely on the parasitical structures imposed by the parties. On the other hand, it is equally urgent to reform and open to the participation of all political components the committee on the intelligence service which has proven absolutely incapable of controlling the transparency and efficiency of the security services.

It is on this major challenge, which puts the soundness of our institutions in question, and not on dangerous counter-reformist proposals, that a programmatic alliance of the liberal, socialist and communist democratic forces can be formed in our country.