Matteo Zeppa (Rete): I find myself forced to make this statement, which I already made in the Council of XII. There, a regime of confidentiality applies among the councillors, Their Excellencies pro tempore and the other parties involved; here, however, you proposed and voted for a closed session, which I opposed from the outset. Precisely for this reason, I believe it is necessary to state publicly what I have already said in the Council of XII. You know that I try to carry out my role in a political and, at the very least, conscientious manner. When certain residency applications come in, my assessments are based on the documentation presented to all the commissioners and, in particular, on two elements that I consider decisive: any criminal record, based on Gendarmerie certificates, and the existence of debts owed to the State. What I will not accept is being contacted privately on my mobile phone for having dealt — under a regime of secrecy, no less — with cases in which one of these two elements emerged, or in some cases both. I will not accept being pressured by people with criminal records or debts to the State. Precisely because we operate under a regime of secrecy, I consider it even more serious that this can happen. I have been a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee since 2012, and those who have been here since then know that I have always expressed my positions clearly, and I will continue to do so. But if my mobile number is passed on by the private secretary of a Secretary of State — and I exclude those present here — then I will not stand for it. That is why I am asking once again that there be no regime of secrecy. The issues I raise regarding these cases are tied to precise criteria: criminal records and debts to the State. I do not want to receive messages, through intermediaries, in this country of omertà, about the positions I take, because the documents speak clearly. If the rules are the same for everyone, they must be so completely. I may have made many mistakes in my assessments, but if these are the criteria I use, I will not compromise on my ability to express my positions, whether publicly or under a regime of secrecy. And above all, I will not accept that my mobile number be passed on to someone with an interest in the cases we are called upon to examine. I do not accept these rules. This does not concern you, Secretary, and I will have the opportunity to explain elsewhere who I am referring to, but it is a way of proceeding that I do not accept. My proposal, therefore, is very simple: not from today, since the agenda has already been set, but starting from next time, I ask that these sessions be held in public. In this way, if someone needs to respond to my observations, they will do so publicly and address the substance: whether or not there are debts owed to the State, and whether or not there is a criminal record. I am hot-headed, but I am of a certain age now and have started to reason things through. If something like this had happened to me ten years ago, I probably would not be here — I would be somewhere else. That is why I will not stand for it. And the same applies to the Council of XII: if a regime of confidentiality applies, I will not accept being subsequently contacted by those who submitted the applications under examination. I have my own line: it may be right or wrong, but it is my line, and I follow it based on the elements made available to me. I apologise, Mr President, if I have taken advantage of this final open session, but I felt it necessary to say this so that whoever is listening, or whoever is informed of these words, knows clearly where I stand. Because I will not play these games.
Pressure over Council of XII cases, Zeppa: “They call my mobile — I won’t play these games” – Full remarks to the Foreign Affairs Committee
