Agreement signed between the Prefecture and the Judicial Offices of Trapani, Marsala and Sciacca to strengthen the exchange of information in the fight against the mafia

The Prefect of Trapani Daniela Lupo signed yesterday a collaboration agreement with the Public Prosecutor at the DDA of Palermo, the Presidents of the Courts of Trapani and Marsala and the Public Prosecutors at the Courts of Trapani and Marsala, announcing the upcoming signature also by the President of the Court and the Public Prosecutor of Sciacca.

Also present at the event were the heads of the territorial police forces, the Mayors of the Municipalities of the Province of Trapani, the Free Consortium of Trapani and the representatives of the contracting authorities of the province, in the strong belief - explained the Prefect - that they must be involved in the anti-mafia prevention action through a strengthening of their administrative structures and a greater knowledge of the prevention tools at their disposal.

The agreement aims to strengthen the defense of local authorities from undue interference by crime, to make their action truly effective for the benefit of the community. The same defines a stable model of collaboration between administrative and judicial investigation actions, in strict compliance with the respective attributions, aimed at further strengthening the anti-mafia preventive action, also in relation to the heartfelt need to shield the large PNRR funds received by this territory from the appetites of organized crime. Just think of the approximately 260 million euros allocated to municipalities alone under the PNRR and the fact that the latter, even the smallest ones, have never made use of the single contracting station, proceeding independently even for contracts of significant amounts.

Pursuant to the agreement, the Prefecture will report, for information purposes, to the Judicial Offices the proposals for the adoption of anti-mafia information of a prohibitive nature formulated by the Inter-force Anti-mafia Group following the investigation carried out, the final reports of the inspections ordered and the administrative measures of collaborative prevention prescribed pursuant to art. 94-bis of Legislative Decree no. 159 of 2011. The Judicial Offices will report, for subsequent in-depth investigations by the Inter-force Anti-mafia Group, the information elements in their possession, useful for the purposes of better evaluating the requests for anti-mafia documentation, the precautionary measures, judgment and conviction provisions, as well as the proposals and implementing acts of the personal or patrimonial prevention measures.

The main aim is to share with the Judiciary the wealth of knowledge possessed by the Inter-Force Anti-Mafia Group, useful for the adoption of interdictory measures and for monitoring the activity on construction sites through inspections.

"The importance of this protocol – underlined the Attorney of the DDA of Palermo De Lucia– further strengthens the collaboration already in place between the Prefecture, the police force and judicial offices, will allow a constant flow and exchange of information, will provide the Prefecture with an essential information asset in the prevention and control activity to ensure that public funds are channeled in the right way".

The Prefect expressed his utmost satisfaction with the signing of the document, in the hope that "preventive and counter-action against mafia criminal organisations can become increasingly effective and incisive and with the strong belief that sharing information - each according to their competence and in compliance with the confidentiality of the investigation - can be extremely useful and, in certain cases, decisive".