The Italian parliament approved a reform on Saturday that relaxes controls and sanctions on public tenders, prompting protests from magistrates and opposition MPs who warn it could encourage unnecessary spending and violations of the law.
The reform, presented by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition two years ago, limits the powers of the Court of Audit, the institution responsible for overseeing the use of public funds in accordance with Italian law and European Union rules.
Meloni's right-wing government has frequently clashed with various sectors of the judiciary, accusing judges of left-wing bias and blocking government initiatives, from infrastructure projects to immigration policies.
Two months ago, the Court of Audit refused to approve a major government plan to build a bridge that would connect Sicily to the mainland — a decision that Meloni described as “intolerable interference.”
The bill was approved in the Senate with 93 votes in favor and 51 against.
Among the main changes, it is foreseen that the maximum penalty for administrators who act negligently in the use of public funds will not exceed 30 percent of the damage caused, or the value of two years of their salary.
The reform also includes the principle of “silence implies approval”: if an administrator requests the opinion of the Court of Audit on the authorization of an expenditure and does not receive a response within 30 days, the authorization is automatically considered valid and the administrator is protected from subsequent sanctions.
According to the government, these changes will help the economy by speeding up procedures and reducing politicians' reluctance to approve public projects for fear of judicial punishment.
However, representatives of the Court of Audit and opposition MPs warn that the reform risks paving the way for abusive spending and misuse of public funds.
Democratic Party Senator Alfredo Bazoli stated that the government intends to "dismantle the control mechanisms over those who exercise power."
This reform precedes a broader and controversial restructuring of Italy's justice system, aimed at separating the careers of prosecutors and judges — an initiative that the government says will reduce conflicts of interest and political influence in the judiciary.
The justice reform will be subject to a national referendum in the spring.
