[Mazhi]

Translated from: http://www.times.si/read/6ea7164e6a/334 ... index.html

Italian mobster describes Slovenia as mafia paradise

The repentant mobster Maurizio Prestieri described Slovenia as a mafia paradise in an interview with the writer Roberto Saviano, author of the famous book Gomorra. In an interview that is being published in more parts these days by the newspaper La Repubblica, Prestiere claims that there is no anti-mafia culture in Slovenia, so mobsters can move around the country freely.

Prestieri says they could do anything they wanted in Slovenia because there are no rules. They visited casinos, and met women and friends from all over the world. They even stayed in Slovenia for 9 months at a time, and even for New Year's. "In Slovenia, we were completely safe, which is why we used our real names," said Prestieri, and also said that they didn't use fake documents.

In addition to that, says Prestieri, the institutions in Slovenia are on the payroll of many mobster organizations: the Russian, Serbian, Italian, Turkish, all of them. Italy is surrounded by countries where it is easy to do business, according to Italian mafia organizations, because their state institutions are very weak and there is no anti-mafia culture. Besides Slovenia, Prestieri also mentioned Albania, Greece, Croatia and Montenegro.

In these countries, the mafia also invested in local business a lot. He pointed out Greece and its beaches where the mafia built tourist complexes, from hotels to restaurants, and also invested in industry. "I'm not an expert on the economic crisis, but I think these facts should also be considered in order to understand it," also said Prestieri.

Prestieri is an assistant to the leader of Naples' mafia organization Camorra, Paolo di Lauro. Prosecutors accuse him of murdering 30 people, and now he is cooperating with the judges. In an interview with the famous author Saviano, he is talking about his life story.

See? I told y'all it was paradise here.

P.S.: The term 'mafia' is used generically here. Otherwise, Mafia only means Sicily's Cosa Nostra.

[Invictus_88]

LOL, European Union fail.

[ThomasNewton]

This is one of the reasons why I think the European Union needs stronger enforcement policies. When it comes to international human rights, it seems like bodies such as the European Union and the United Nations have good intentions but lack the enforcement to follow through. Of course, then you get into the issue of who should be doing the enforcing-the state of Slovenia or the EU? I don't think sovereignty should prevent enforcement of human rights, however.

[Mazhi]

This isn't so much an issue about human rights though.

I agree with the part that corruption is a problem and there is a certain level of corruption in our institutions and a lot of it involves organized crime groups. But I find the part where he talks about how they were able to spend months here with their real documents a bit odd. I mean, did these people do anything illegal here? Were they the ones involved in the corruption? Or was there an international warrant? If not, then what are we supposed to do about them being here?

[Aekos]

If not, then what are we supposed to do about them being here?

Does Slovenia have the authority to arrest Italian nationals, investigate their crimes, and try them? If it doesn't, then it should. If the Italian authorities are not doing enough to prosecute organized crime and are allowing mobsters to travel freely, Slovenia should not be so kind.

[ThomasNewton]

I should have probably linked to something like the International Court of Justice as an example instead, although again I realize that has limited application in this situation.

The issue here is exactly what Mazhi pointed out-one of jurisdiction. Unless someone's going to argue the relativistic point of view that it's okay to murder 30 people, there needs to be some way to prosecute people across state lines in the European Union. The European Union does have various police missions but from my understanding Europol is a purely support organization and doesn't have the kind of executive power the FBI does in the United States.

I'm really not as familiar with the European Union since I don't leave there, but you seem knowledgeable about the situation Mazhi. What do you think should be done in this situation: if someone breaks a law in one country and flees to another should they still be prosecuted? If so how would you establish a more effective international European Union police force than Europol?

[Mazhi]

Uhh, I'm no expert on the issue really, and don't know how to improve it..But I do think the European police system should be more integrated.

Aekos, I'm not sure..I guess if the person doesn't do anything illegal here, and if there is no international warrant, nothing can be done.

It's like when Sanader was about to be prosecuted in Croatia, and he fled through Slovenia, our police identified him but could do nothing because there was still no international warrant at the time.

[Cookie Monster]

The issue here, Slovenia being a Mafia paradise, is not related to the Human Rights regimes. And the International Court of Justice deals with disputes between States. The issue is also not the lack of jurisdiction or the means to cooperate between law enforcement agencies. Slovenian police, as any other other national police force, is fully competent to enforce law within the national borders and there is also the European Arrest Warrant to ensure law enforcement in cross-border cases within the EU.

My guess is that the problem is due to corruption within the institutions of Slovenia and the bordering States.

[furrypurpledinosaur]

Don't worry. It's the same here in Slovakia. The mafia and godfathers are above law and they laugh into our face.

Every day I open newspaper I read about some crime (be it corruption of all kinds, money laundering or tunneling, occasionally some assassination or exploded car) but I don't remember reading about anyone been successfully sentenced - ever.