Meloni, Mattarella Commemorate Falcone Mafia Bombing Anniversary
Rome: President Sergio Mattarella and Premier Giorgia Meloni on Friday observed the 33rd anniversary of the assassination of anti-mafia prosecutor Giovanni Falcone, his wife, and three of his bodyguards in the 1992 Capaci bomb attack orchestrated by Cosa Nostra. The commemoration serves as a poignant reminder of the ongoing fight against organized crime in Italy.
According to Ansa News Agency, Falcone’s colleague and close friend, Paolo Borsellino, was killed two months later by another Cosa Nostra bomb. President Mattarella, quoting Falcone, noted that “The Mafia, like every human phenomenon, had a beginning and it will also have an end.” He emphasized that although the Mafia has faced significant setbacks, continuous efforts are necessary to eradicate it, especially as it evolves and forms new connections with economic and financial sectors.
The president underscored the need for constant vigilance and the importance of involving younger generations in creating a future free from criminal influences. Falc
one had been instrumental in leading the investigation that resulted in the Maxi Trial, which saw over 300 convictions and established the existence of the Sicilian Mafia, a fact not universally accepted at the time. The assassinations of Falcone and Borsellino were part of Cosa Nostra’s retaliatory bombing campaign following the supreme court’s affirmation of the Maxi Trial convictions.
President Mattarella has a personal connection to the fight against the Mafia, as his brother, Piersanti Mattarella, the governor of Sicily, was murdered by the Mafia in 1980. Premier Meloni shared that the 1992 Capaci bomb attack was a catalyst for her entry into politics. She marked May 23 as the national Day of Legality, in honor of the victims of the Mafia. In a message on X, she reiterated her commitment to remembering Falcone, Francesca Morvillo, the security officers, and all who sacrificed their lives for justice.
Premier Meloni emphasized that the government remains unwavering in its stance against crime, inspired
by the examples set by Falcone and others who have fallen victim to the Mafia. She concluded with a resolute statement: “Let us not forget.”