“Set up an anti-mafia committee in the European Parliament.”

From the correspondent in Strasbourg – Set up an anti-mafia committee in the European Parliamentfollowing the example of the Italian Parliament: The request comes from the Democratic Party, and specifically Sandro Ruotolowho takes the initiative to propose a reorganisation of the European Parliament by speaking in the Chamber in Strasbourg. The Pd/S&D member has no doubts: “It is time for the European Parliament to set up a special committee against organised crimewho is able to deal with the rapid evolution of criminal methods.”

According to Ruotolo, to combat organised crime in Europe, “we need to equip ourselves with the right tools”, which are currently lacking. He reminded the Chamber that mafias have a long history in Italy and “have become intertwined with a part of the political, economic and financial power”. However, the problem is not and cannot be considered a national issue of just one EU Member State. “The question we must ask ourselves is about Europe: Are we doing enough to combat organised crime? I feel like we are lagging behind them.”

He quotes Giovanni Falcone, who was also welcomed and listened to by the European Parliament. It was 1986 and a European Parliament of a then different and smaller Europe (still called the EEC and with only 12 member states) was beginning to look more broadly at that organised crime and its dynamics that the magistrate was trying to combat.Giovanni Falcone taught us that following the money is the key to tracking down the mafia,” Ruotolo continued. And the EU, made of money, makes a lot of it available – hundreds of billions, which are necessary and also attractive. The MEP particularly denounces the phenomena of money laundering and corruption and “companies and criminal groups” that take advantage of the EU’s wide loopholes. “We cannot afford to fall behind,” Ruotolo stressed. “The security of citizens and the economic resilience of the Union depend on this shared commitment.”

English version by Withub translation service