Italy approves a law against illegal parties under threat of fines and jail terms

ROME, 30 Dec. (DPA/EP) –

The Italian Parliament has given this Friday the ‘green light’ to a new legislation against ‘raves’ and illegal parties in the middle of a session strongly marked by controversy and tension between the Government and the opposition.

The law, which has been approved with 183 votes in favor and 116 against, was proposed by the Executive of the far-right Giorgia Meloni arguing that drug sales often take place at these parties and public safety is endangered.

After a tense session in Parliament, the country’s president, Sergio Mattarella, has already signed the law at night, which establishes penalties of three to ten years in prison and fines that can reach 10,000 euros.

The opposition, for its part, has not only criticized this measure, but has denounced that the government has taken the opportunity to include a package of measures related to the pandemic in the vote, and thus ensure its approval.

Among these new measures it is included that those doctors and health personnel who have refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19 can return to their job, therefore eliminating the prohibition imposed by the previous Executive for these cases.

In November, Meloni issued a decree revoking the measure, although now with this step he has turned that decision into law, approved by Parliament.

The opposition have denounced that this change of course represents a wrong response from the Government not only in favor of those who oppose the vaccine, but also a wrong signal at a time when the international community once again views the progress of the vaccine with fear. coronavirus in China.

With this breeding ground, the opposition groups have tried to block the approval of the bill, however, the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Lorenzo Fontana, of the far-right League, has interrupted the interventions and has organized an express vote .

Fontana has made use of the so-called ‘guillotine’ resource, a procedure that limits the time for debate in the chamber and therefore allows rapid progress until the final vote. To date, this parliamentary maneuver had only been used once.

in which the president of the chamber has been subjected to sanctions ranging from financial fines to long prison terms.

The law was proposed by the Executive of the far-right Giorgia Meloni, who argues the extent to which in these meetings – often held in abandoned buildings and with thousands of attendees – drugs are sold and public safety is endangered.

After a tense session in the Italian Parliament, the country’s president, Sergio Mattarella, has already signed the law at night, which establishes penalties of three to ten years in prison and fines that can reach 10,000 euros.

The opposition has harshly criticized the measure, not only because they consider that it violates the right of assembly, but because they assure that the Executive has taken advantage of the legislation to include another package of measures, including some related to the pandemic.