I only did politics – Corriere.it

The honorable John Donzelli – renamed “Prezzemolo” by some of his detractors due to his omnipresence on TV, radio and newspapers – he would, in himself, be a talkative person. Then after his now well-known speech in the Chamber in which he used words of fire against four colleagues from the Democratic Party (Orlando, Serracchiani, Verini and Lai) who had gone to visit in prison Alfred Cospito, accusing them of having thus encouraged the anarchist leader, a month and a half of press silence was triggered: no reply to the accusations of the opposition “in order not to raise the tone”, as asked of all by Prime Minister Meloni. In the meantime, the Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating to ascertain whether the disclosed Dap document was confidential or not.

The Jury of Honor of the Chamber ruled: “No offense to the Democratic Party”.

“They made a fuss for 45 days. They have slowed down the institutions and threatened the Aventine Hill. Hours and hours of wasted transmissions and rivers of ink. They even asked for the jury of honor only to be blamed and told that I had only correctly fulfilled my role as a parliamentarian. If I thought only of the good of the Brothers of Italy I would pray long life to this inconclusive opposition, but having the nation at heart I hope that an institutional opposition will soon mature».

But did they acquit her or did she retract, as the dem say, what she said in the Chamber?

“Retracted? But when ever. The things I said in the Chamber are the same as I said to the jury: just read the report to verify it. That’s my thought.”

In addition to being the operational arm of FdI, the first party in Italy, you are also the vice president of Copasir. Would you do it all again?

«Among the surreal accusations of recent weeks there was also the one that out of institutional respect I should have said what I said in a different place. If a parliamentarian has something to say, he must do it in Parliament, in the temple of democracy. We are not there just to push buttons. This is our transparent way of doing politics: this is how we have always done and this is how we will continue».

But not even a little self-criticism?

“If someone is scandalized by harsh tones, I remember that much heavier things have been said about us elsewhere, both now and when we were in opposition. I don’t know if we realize that Meloni was even accused of “having blood on her hands” for the Cutro tragedy or defined as “the instigator of the murder of Willy Monteiro”. Democracy cannot work because the left is unassailable and everything can be said about the right”.

After this storm you were put under guard. How is her new life for someone used to maximum freedom like her?

«I’m under guard because I made a political denunciation in the institutions, defending the state from the threats of anarchists and the 41 bis which is also the terror of the mafia. I’m certainly not happy to be under guardianship, but putting yourself at the service of the institutions also means this. I hope that soon the agents will be able to return to protect the safety of ordinary citizens”.

Now the leader of the Democratic Party is 37-year-old Elly Schlein, and she seems to be attracting thousands of new young members. Surprised by the result of the primary?

«After Lazio and Lombardy we will see who will win in Friuli Venezia-Giulia if there really is a “Schlein effect”. We have a very distant and antithetical view of society. Schlein believes that the priorities are to encourage immigration, raise wages by decree and has a vision of environmentalism that is the enemy of production. Instead, we believe in the protection of the family, of those who produce and in a controlled management of immigration with the fight against traffickers and the expulsion of illegal immigrants».

Does this change change anything in FdI’s strategy?

«We have always been concrete, coherent and attentive to the territories. We were like this when we were at 2%, we are now at 30%: we continue to wear out the soles of our shoes while keeping our feet firmly on the ground».