Turin, controversy over General Vannacci's participation in a conference on urban security

General Roberto Vannacci will also be in Turin for a conference on urban security organized for next September 18th at the Hotel NH Torino Centro, entitled "Urban insecurity: the role of institutions and entrepreneurs". A presence that triggers inevitable controversy, because the event, promoted by the FSP Polizia di Stato union in collaboration with Fmpi, is recognized as a professional development activity for policemen, complete with exemption from duty for the entire day.

The Silp Cgil Piemonte police union has formally asked the Turin police commissioner Massimo Gambino (who authorized the initiative and is among the participants in the seminar) to revoke the provision with which the conference was recognized as a professional development activity. According to the Piedmontese general secretary Nicola Rossiello, Vannacci's presence would undermine "the prerequisites that the legislation requires for the recognition of self-training: the technical-scientific nature and the strict neutrality of the initiative with respect to any political connotation". In the sights of the Silp Cgil there are the disregarded regulatory and constitutional parameters: from article 98 of the Constitution - which imposes on the police force the exclusive service of the Nation and a rigorous duty of impartiality - up to article 14 of the Code of Conduct for public employees and the directives of the Department of Public Security, which subordinate professional training credits to the total absence of political-party drift.

The SIULP of Turin has a different opinion and expresses "full solidarity with the Police Commissioner of Turin for having legitimately approved the professional development day requested and organized by the FSP Police union". Speaking on the controversy surrounding the conference on urban security on 18 September, which will see the leader of Futuro Nazionale Roberto Vannacci among the speakers, is the provincial general secretary Eugenio Bravo. «We firmly reject any attempt to exploit an institutional decision which concerns, first of all, the protection of the freedom and autonomy of trade union activity» states Bravo.

But the political case quickly exploded nationwide. Among the first to intervene is Anna Rossomando, vice president of the Democratic Party in the Senate. «It is necessary to clarify. Since this is evidently a political initiative, I believe a clarification is necessary, for this reason I am preparing a question to Minister Piantedosi to understand how and why an event of this kind has been classified as a professional update complete with exemption from service".