Italians didn’t deserve Giovanni Falcone. He knew that they would murder him. Just as Paolo Borsellino knew. They went to their death like the first Christians in the Coliseum. Left on their own by the institutions, the parties, by many colleagues. Borsellino died in front of his mother’s house. No security measure had been arranged. He went there every Sunday. The car with the bomb was parked at a few metres from the bell for the gate. On 13 July 1992, six days before the attack, he said to a police officer: “I am in a state of turmoil. I am worried for you, because I know that the TNT for me has arrived [from the continent – editor] and I don’t want you to be involved” (*)
Sixteen years after Capaci, the President of the Council is called Silvio Berlusconi. In Parliament there’s Cuffaro and Dell’Utri. The mafia no longer needs bombs. The laws are enough for them. “A rapid list of ‘reforms’: 1) substantial abolition of art.41 bis that prevented communication between prisoners and the outside world; 2) reworking of certain articles of the penal code procedures that have placed limits on the usability of the declarations on the prosecution side; 3) after the reworking of these regulations, truly giving in to the requests of the right, no arrangement has been set up to protect the non-mafia citizens who give evidence in mafia trials; 4) the new law on justice collaborators has provoked just one consequence: no one is repenting any more; 5) the possibility to widen the institution of the abbreviated rite even to more serious crimes, with an immediate discount of a third and at the same time the conclusion of investigations on those happenings. To that, add the fact that no initiative has been taken to make operational the database of bank accounts and deposits that was set out in 1991 at the suggestion of Giovanni Falcone”. (**)
Interviewed by Francesco Licata in February 1991, Falcone allowed himself to speak freely: “But what are they thinking of these gentlemen? Is it true that they are convinced that we are all equal? Do they believe that I am saving my life? I am not afraid to die. Me, I’m Sicilian. Yes, I’m Sicilian and for me, life is worth less than this button.” (**)
The psycho-dwarf wants to reform what is left of the justice system and he says he wants to do it “having been inspired by Falcone’s thinking”. He can allow himself to do that without any journalist present, spitting in his face or, more soberly, reminding him of the time spent by Mangano at his villa in Arcore. The reform of the justice system has already happened some time ago. It has been done by D’Alema and Fassino, Castelli and Berlusconi, Prodi and Mastella. One step at a time. One lengthening of the time for the Statute of limitations at a time. One pardon at a time. One limitation of wire-tapping at a time. One abolition of false balance sheets at a time. Today we are at the bipartisan nails in the coffin.
In Sciascia’s novel ‘The Day of the Owl', Don Arena divided humanity into men and half men, “ominicchi, piglianculo and quaquaraqquà”. Falcone was a man. We who are left, what are we?
(*) L’agenda rossa di Paolo Borsellino Lo Bianco, Rizza. Published by Chiarelettere
(**) Storia di Giovanni Falcone. La Licata. Published by Feltrinelli