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Statement by the European Chief Prosecutor on the 30th anniversary of the murder of Giovanni Falcone

Published on

 

Thirty years ago, Giovanni Falcone was killed in Palermo. The assassination of this outstanding prosecutor – as well as many other magistrates, police officers, civil servants and activists – was meant to instil fear, to discourage anyone from fighting organised crime.

Giovanni Falcone was a victim of a hideous crime, and he has become a symbol, a reference point for the judiciary community in Europe. A lot has already been said and written about him, and more will be, for sure. He inspired me with his professionalism, integrity and courage.

This day, however, is an occasion for all of us to realise what happens when criminal organisations are not fought with the utmost determination at all times: they grow.

If we do not fight them efficiently, they not only poison local communities, they end up capturing the State. Their power is proportionate to the profits we let them accumulate over time. They distort the economy and corrupt our institutions only to the extent that we allow them to do so.

This is a day to remember what it means to give up on the rule of law. A world in which criminals subvert legitimate authorities is a world of violence and the rule of terror. Our job is to prevent that.

 

These pictures were taken during the European Chief Prosecutor's visit of the Falcone-Borsellino Museum in Palermo on 4 May 2022:

desk at museum

Laura Kövesi visits Falcone-Borsellino museum

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material investigations

 

The EPPO Bologna office is organising an exhibition in commemoration of Falcone and Borsellino in their premises:

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banners in a room