Italian members of parliament launch an inquiry into the opening of the so-called representation center of the “DPR” in Turin. The inquiry binds government to take action.
On December 14, 2016 the “DPR” (“Donetsk People’s Republic”) organization of the Donbas militants opened a representation office in Turin, northern Italy. In September 2016 a similar representation was launched in the Czech Republic. In early January 2017 a group of parliamentarians from the ruling Partito Democratico party (Democratic Party) elected from the Piedmont region (of which Turin is the capital) presented a parliamentary inquiry to the government “condemning the grotesque decision to open the representation of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic in Turin”, reports StopFake. The MPs – authors of the inquiry include Davide Mattiello, Antonio Boccuzzi, Umberto D’Ottavio, Silvia Fregolent, Paola Bragantini and Anna Rossomando.
The inquiry has been addressed to the President of the Council of Ministers (head of the government), to the Interior Minister and to the Foreign Affairs Minister, explained the MPs at a press conference held earlier this week in Turin. In the inquiry the MPs emphasizes that opening of the center comes as a step in sharp contrast with the Italian foreign policy and the European Union. They ask to explain what measures the government intends to take in this respect.
“Parliamentary inquiry is an official measure taken by the Italian Parliament and can be made by MPs,” explains to UCMC Mauro Voerzio, coordinator of the Italian page of StopFake, grassroots media initiative that counteracts disinformation and propaganda. Together with organizations Acmos, Associazione Radicale Adelaide Aglietta and Fondazione Benvenuti in Italia StopFake immediately expressed their protest against establishing of the “DPR” representation center. “MPs have presented an inquiry that is put on the agenda and subsequently discussed in the Parliament. In the Parliament the Foreign Affairs Minister and the Interior Minister will respond to this inquiry envisaging what action the Italian government intends taking. The inquiry has been submitted and is to be introduced on the agenda in the upcoming days, it will be then discussed in the Parliament,” continues Voerzio.
“It is an official act that obliges the two Ministers to respond to the inquiry. It is very much possible that the two Ministers will give very diplomatic answers,” assumes the StopFake expert. “Instead it is important that the problem comes into the spotlight, so that people at least get to know that the Joint Investigation Team (international body that investigated into the MH17 crash) identified representatives of the “DPR” as persons who actually downed the Malaysian Airlines plane of the MH17 flight”. According to Voerzio it can be a sufficient motive to close down the organization’s representation office in Turin. Even if Italy does not recognize the organization a terroristic one, people will still be informed that its members are those who have intentionally downed a civilian plane. Thus, the Italian parties who support the organization support terrorism, adds Voerzio.
According to the coordinator of the Italian page of StopFake the so-called representation center of the “DPR” in Turin does not hold any activities that are publicly visible. It is quite possible that the center was tailor-made to fit into the internal political scene of Italy, Voerzio adds.
