“Motivated in part by economic stress, and in part by what some call crass opportunism, the idyllic island 50 miles south of Sicily is selling citizenship for $880,000 in cash and $677,000 in property and investments to applicants 18 or older willing to pay the price.”

It is important to try to find out before making accusations otherwise there is a danger that the reliability of the accusers will be compromised when further scandals surface as they surely will.

http://www.stampoantimafioso.it/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Tesi-versione-per-StampoAntimafioso.pdf

Your blanket statements, folkloristic in content and uncannily similar to the fatalism proposed by mafiosi are quoted in section 2 as being the main obstacle to any reaction.

Just keep in mind how the camorra had cornered Germany’s market for toxic waste disposal and who turned a blind eye.

If the implication is that being southern Europeans we’re expected to accept German cliches, I’m afraid you’re utterly convenient. Your conclusion that it was ultimately better for the south to work with the mafia confirms where you stand.

Who is Italy’s president right now (the one whose name Marie Louise Coleiro can’t spell)?

A FORMER ANTI-MAFIA PROSECUTOR WHOSE BROTHER DIED IN HIS ARMS AFTER BEING SHOT BY MAFIA HITMEN.

Germany is not Italy? Look at their joke of a president – married, not divorced, but living with his ‘girlfriend’ of the last two decades.

I have just realised who you mean. It’s quite amusing – the funny side. Absolutely nothing to do with any of this mess at all – that’s Roger de Giorgio’s sister Pat married to a Frenchman called Sanchez, and her children.

Oh for heaven’s sake – we’re talking about the 21st century.

With that reasoning you may as well ask whether Germany is like to commit genocide and answer ‘Yes’ because of its 20th-century history.

Just to help put a perspective on the hypothetical question “Do you imagine for one moment that somebody like Manuel Mallia would have been appointed cabinet minister for… in Italy?”

All one has to do is acquire some background on Democrazia Cristiana party ruling Italy for the most part of the last 40 years, the ties to Cosa Nostra and “Il divo” Giulio Andreatti’s role in getting Italy to the messy pig sty it is today.

So to answer the question, unfortunately yes, Italy would appoint someone like Mallia to cabinet as guarantor for justice, national security and the lot.