Nicola Gratteri warns of judicial backlog and disputes salary cuts

Naples Prosecutor Nicola Gratteri has issued an alarm regarding a growing backlog of judicial requests. He reported that pending precautionary measure requests at the Naples Judge for Preliminary Investigations (GIP) office have risen from 1,300 in September to 1,590, with projections suggesting they could reach 2,000 by Christmas. Gratteri stated that at least 10 additional judges are required to maintain the pace of the Prosecutor’s Office.

In a separate matter, Gratteri addressed the controversy surrounding salary adjustments for magistrates. Following Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s decision not to sign the decree for these adjustments, Gratteri expressed willingness to reduce his own salary by 1,000 euros, provided that similar cuts are applied to members of Parliament and high-ranking government officials. He argued that the funds are legally owed to magistrates and that the mechanism is intended to protect judicial independence.

Additionally, Gratteri highlighted the results of a recent anti-mafia operation in the Pianura district, which led to the arrest of 28 individuals linked to three different Camorra clans. The suspects face charges including mafia association, extortion, and drug trafficking.