“The banking and financial world remains the great, perhaps the last great challenge the Republic must face.” So said Giuseppe Maria Morganti (Libera) during the communications session of the Grand and General Council (Consiglio Grande e Generale). The councillor welcomed the signing of the Association Agreement with the European Union as the defining achievement of this legislature, while stressing the need to now tackle the issues that remain unresolved, starting with the banking system.
The full remarks of Giuseppe Maria Morganti (Libera)
Your Excellencies, your address gave this Chamber clear direction — a direction I hope will be followed in the months ahead. Indeed, I urge you to keep watch so that what you have said may become concrete reality within the political arena that is now opening in this Council Chamber. Because we are the first representatives who can, in some way, turn into action and apply the thoughts you have highlighted — starting from our values and their defence, all the way to a future we must not fear but face with courage, determination and, at times, a touch of creativity.
Because a little creativity in politics does no harm — politics that is very often too conservative, and which, precisely out of fear of doing something, ends up changing nothing at all. I don’t want to invoke the image of the Leopard here, but let us try to overcome that obstacle too.
We stand before the greatest achievement of this legislature. Indeed, not only of this legislature — to be honest, this particular term found its point of convergence among the political forces precisely and specifically on the European question. I must say that this result, which we celebrate today — because we can do nothing but celebrate it — creates a new and better condition for the Republic of San Marino.
A Republic that will no longer be isolated in certain respects. Not that the Republic was isolated, heaven forbid, but there are significant obstacles, and anyone running a business, seeking work, or needing to study knows very well that these obstacles exist. And these obstacles will gradually be overcome, because there is a fundamental principle underpinning — indeed, perhaps leading — the entire Association Agreement, in its more than two thousand pages: the principle of reciprocity.
When have Sammarinese businesses and citizens ever felt mutually protected in their dealings with Europe? From today onward, this will happen, and it will happen also thanks to the possibility, for those who feel discriminated against, to claim their rights should such a situation arise.
This principle essentially guarantees the foundations for development, because all the ideas, all the projects, all the initiatives that our businesses, our young people, our new enterprises — and I hope there will be many — and a renewed professional and industrial dynamism can put forward from now on will enjoy this privilege. A privilege that is, in truth, not a privilege at all, since it is simply a right for European citizens — and one that, for us, finally becomes a right in every sense of the word.
I particularly appreciated the thought you devoted to the defence of international law. I would add, perhaps, among the things said, a thought also for the Court that judges the crimes unfortunately being committed amid this terrible situation the world finds itself in. I am referring, of course, to the war in Ukraine, and in particular to Gaza, but also to the West Bank.
Just last evening, thanks to the Palestine Group, we were able to watch a beautiful film on the reality of Israel and the West Bank. We must, essentially, commit ourselves very strongly on this front.
My regret, and I say this quite sincerely, is that in 2013 we failed to reach that famous quorum which would have led the Republic to an even fuller agreement — a political agreement, too, with the European Union. Because I am certain that the European Union could only benefit from the policies the Republic of San Marino puts into practice.
Today, Europe — European politics — is going through a moment of disorientation. It is plain for all to see; we all know it. That does not mean we should fear that better times cannot be recovered — the times when Europe was the Europe of welfare, of social solidarity, of rights. Let us hope these priorities return, and that other, more warlike priorities that Europe today seems to have in mind are abandoned.
My belief is that the Republic of San Marino can offer, at least externally, through this new relationship, a contribution in terms of ideals to a Europe that today, more than ever, is in great need of them.
We face many challenges, still many challenges. I must say that several of these — some of the most substantial, with the Association Agreement obviously being the most important — have been addressed during this legislature and have indeed been overcome. But there are many others, very important ones, still to be tackled.
I would like the Grand and General Council to have the opportunity to address these new issues and to at least set them on the right track toward resolution. That is my hope.
I am referring in particular — and we have the Secretary of State for Finance here with us — to the banking and financial world, which remains the great, perhaps the last great challenge the Republic must face. A challenge that must be tackled with great determination and strong engagement.
Obviously, to do so, we cannot forget that we have a strong State, one that continues to grow in strength and solidity, and which therefore likely has the capacity — indeed, surely has the capacity — to resolve this issue as well.
This is no minor issue, because we know very well that our banking and financial system weakened considerably during a dark period for the Republic.
I was very pleased by Matteo Rossi’s remarks, which recalled all the stages that brought our country from the period of the so-called three pillars, from the darkest period of our history — probably the darkest period in the thousand years of history we know — the period that cornered the Republic of San Marino, all the way to the current situation.
Gradually, the country grew, learned to discern between good and bad, and, naturally with all due caution and prudence, chose this path. It did so starting from the fact that Europe has always been a guiding light.
The battle for Europe, waged back in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, right up to the 2013 referendum, was a battle linked above all to the need for our country to apply the criteria of full and total transparency, of full and total compliance with international rules. That was the main goal being pursued through that journey.
Today, step by step, these goals have been achieved and, in many cases, even surpassed — so much so that we are often criticised for being too strict on transparency rules. And so today we can truly think of the Association Agreement as an agreement of progress and of future prospects.
Finally, I want to return to the address given by Their Excellencies, which also included poetic elements. I must say this touched me deeply.
