Category Archives: Chamber of Deputies

The Minister of Defence’s Statement on Migratory Flows and Asylum Seekers

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 213th MEETING, 16 APRIL 2014.

On 16 April 2014, the Minister of Defence, Mr. Angelino Alfano, made a statement before the Chamber of Deputies in which he addressed the issue of migratory flows and asylum applications. The Minister urged the EU to give a joint response to the phenomenon of migration, in particular by reforming Council Regulation (EC) No. 343/2003 of 18 February 2003, also known as Dublin II Regulation, and allowing asylum seekers to move within the whole Europe. Mr. Alfano had previously intervened before the Chamber on the same issues.

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The Minister of Defence Takes Position on the Storage of Nuclear Weapons on the Italian Territory and the Obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 175th MEETING, 17 FEBRUARY 2014.

On 17 February 2014 the Minister of Defence, Mr. Mario Mauro, reported in writing to the Chamber of Deputies on a request for information concerning the types of nuclear weapons stored in Italy, their location and the compatibility between such practice and the obligations deriving from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to which Italy is a party. Minister Mauro stated the following:

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The Italian Position on the Ratification and the Implementation Prospects of the Protocol of the 1991 Alpine Convention in the Field of Transport

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 173rd MEETING, 13 FEBRUARY 2014.

Italy was the last among the countries concerned to ratify the Protocol on the Implementation of the 1991 Alpine Convention in the Field of Transport (Law no. 196 of 2012, deposited in Vienna on 7 February 2013) but it contextually adopted and filed an interpretative declaration which prompted the apprehension of the Austrian and German authorities as to whether this amounted to a formal reservation by Italy, and cast doubts on Italy’s real intention to implement the Protocol. Following up on the objections raised by Austria and Germany, the Undersecretary of State for infrastructures and transport, Mr. Rocco Girlanda, clarifies the Italian position on this issue in the following terms:

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A Statement by the Undersecretary of State for Defence on the Application of the Hamburg Convention on Maritime Search And Rescue (SAR)

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 149th MEETING, 10 JANUARY 2014.

On 10 January 2014, the Undersecretary of State for Defence, Mr. Gioacchino Alfano, reported before the Chamber of Deputies on the sinking of a fishing vessel that took place on 11 October 2013, 113 km away from Lampedusa and 218 from Malta. The sinking caused the death of hundreds of Syrian refugees, including many children. A member of the Parliament called into question the proper management of the rescue operations, namely as to the lack of coordination between the Italian and Maltese authorities, that resulted in a late intervention. He also contested the effectiveness of the rules provided for by the Hamburg Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) in so far as they allow a SAR area to be put under the jurisdiction of an authority which is not necessarily the best placed to intervene, as in the case at issue, where the competent authority was the Maltese one. In response to the parliamentary question, Mr. Alfano said:

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A Statement by the President of the Council of Ministers, Mr. Enrico Letta, on the Datagate

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 122nd MEETING, 20 DECEMBER 2013.

On 20 November 2013, the President of the Council of Ministers, Mr. Enrico Letta, gave an urgent report before the Chamber of Deputies on the so-called Datagate, the scandal initiated by the declarations of Edward Snowden. Mr Letta described how the US National Security Agency (NSA) could monitor the flow of metadata of Internet communications at a global level (PRISM Programme). Another surveillance programme (Tempora) would have been established by the British intelligence to monitor communications in submarine fibre-optic cables. In light of this background, he stated:  

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Government’s General Political Directions in View of the European Council Debate on Defence Issues

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 76th MEETING, 7 AUGUST 2013 – QUESTION TIME.

On 7 August 2013, the Minister of Defence, Mario Mauro, outlined before the Chamber of Deputies the Government’s general political directions and priorities in view of the European Council debate on defence issues to be held in December 2013.

Here follow some excerpts from the Minister’s speech:

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The Government’s Position on Russian Discriminatory Legislation on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 54th MEETING, 16 JULY 2013.

On 16 July 2013, the deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Lapo Pistelli, explained before the Chamber of Deputies the Government’s view on the manifest violation of human rights contained in the recent Russian legislation against the LGBT community. He outlined the risks that such situations pose, the actions taken in the case and the role of EU organs and international organizations in the light of the universality of human rights.

He said:

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The President of the Council of the Ministers on Functional Immunity of State Officials from Foreign Criminal Jurisdiction (Enrica Lexie Case)

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 50th MEETING, 10 JULY 2013.

On 10 July 2013, the President of the Council of the Ministers, Mr Enrico Letta, reported before the Chamber of Deputies on recent developments concerning the trial taking place before Indian authorities against sergeant major Latorre and sergeant Girone, two Italian marines part of a Vessel Protection Detachment (VPD) on board of the Italian oil-tanker Enrica Lexie accused of murdering two Indian fishermen while carrying out anti-piracy activities. Mr Letta referred to the testimony given by Latorre and Girone to the Indian judicial authorities on that same date and stated:

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ View on North Korean Nuclear Threat and International Cooperation on Non-Proliferation

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 44th MEETING, 2 JULY 2013.

On 2 July 2013 the deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Lapo Pistelli answered a parliamentary question relating to North Korean aggressive rhetoric and provocations that took place between December 2012 and April 2013. He highlighted the centrality of Security Council resolution 2094 (2013) and the fundamental importance of operating within the frameworks of the NATO and G8 and in cooperation with the European partners when dealing with such issues of international concern as Pyongyang’s nuclear threats and systematic violations of human rights. 

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A Statement by the Minister for Home Affairs on the Management of Migratory Flows to Italy and the Amendment of the Dublin Regulation

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CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, XVII LEGISLATURE, 36th MEETING, 19 JUNE 2013.

On 19 June 2013, the Minister for Home Affairs Angelino Alfano reported at the Chamber of Deputies on recent landings of migrants on Lampedusa and other Italian coastal areas. He pointed out that the issue of managing migratory flows to Italy cannot be considered a merely national issue and asked for the cooperation of the European Union and bodies of the United Nations. He said:

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