The Trento Public Prosecutor’s Office notified Piercamillo Falasca, editor of L’Europeista, of thenotice of conclusion of preliminary investigations for libel in the press (Article 595 of the Italian Criminal Code), as part of the proceedings initiated following a lawsuit filed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructures Matteo Salvini. According to the indictment, the complaint challenges all paragraphs of Article 595 of the Criminal Code, including the one relating to defamation directed against a political body.

The affair concerns a post published by Falasca on X, in which the editor commented critically on some of Salvini’s statements regarding European defence investments. The League leader had argued that an increase in common spending in the sector would end up mainly favouring the German industry; a thesis that Falasca had strongly contested, highlighting – from an opposite perspective – the solidity and competitiveness of the Italian defence industry and the benefits that greater European investment could generate for the country’s industrial and technological capabilities.

In the post, formulated in particularly harsh and political tones, Falasca also criticised the international stance taken by Salvini, arguing that this approach could end up benefiting the interests of the Russian Federation in geopolitical terms. Some of the expressions used in the message – which we will not reproduce due to the very nature of the proceedings – were considered damaging by the plaintiff and are now being assessed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Moreover, the case is part of the documented and known relations between the League and Russia Unita, the party chaired by Vladimir Putin: a political link declared in the past years, the subject of a memorandum of understanding never revoked between the two parties, which constitutes part of the factual basis referred to by Falasca to formulate his political opinion.

According to the regulations, the notice of conclusion of investigations opens a procedural window in which the defence may submit pleadings, documents or request a hearing of the suspect. Director Falasca’s lawyer is preparing a defence brief in which he will ask for the case to bedismissed, arguing that the content of the post falls fully within the scope of the right to political criticism guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights.

In the meantime, the director confirmed that he will continue to carry out his work ‘with full transparency and with respect for freedom of information‘, emphasising that journalistic activity and public opinion cannot be restricted by controversial judicial initiatives.

The Europeanist will of course follow developments.