«The Commission on Covid? It is a political tribunal, they hit their opponents and smooth the hair of no vaxes »- Corriere.it

Robert HopeMinister of Health throughout the pandemic period, both in the Conte II government and in the Draghi government, denounces a «intent, all political, disturbing” and indignantly rejects the accusation of wanting to cover up the government’s faults, asking that the Covid parliamentary commission also deal with the work of the Regions: «I have always thought that anyone who has had responsibility in the management of such a dramatic affair must be ready to make I count. But this commission is not looking for answers, it is an unworthy operation. Our country doesn’t deserve it».

Mr Speranza, you argued harshly in the Chamber: didn’t you want a commission of inquiry into Covid?

“In reverse. We wanted a serious commission that gave itself the task of analyzing what happened at 360 degrees with the aim of being more ready to face such an emergency in the future. For example, by strengthening the national health service, as I have tried to do by bringing health care spending to over 7% of GDP. This newly arrived government has brought it back below that threshold.

And the commission that was voted on does not have this objective?

“At all. The voted one is a political tribunal with instrumental ends: a cudgel to strike opponents. And two concrete elements prove it. While we would have liked it to address every aspect of emergency management, the majority chose to exclude the Regions that have primary and fundamental constitutional functions in health care from the perimeter of the commission’s initiative. We asked why and the answer was an embarrassed silence.”

The second element?

«This commission has even given itself the task of verifying the EMA procedures for the approval of vaccines. Vaccines that have been administered in over 13 billion doses worldwide. That is, they will deal with Conte, Speranza, the EMA and then with what happened in China, but not with what was done in Milan, Rome or Palermo … Need I say more?

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«It will be singular to see parliamentarians scrutinize the work of authoritative scientists at European level on vaccines. Of course you still want to pet the no vax fur. The choice is political. And miserable.”

Sounds like retaliation to her.

“It seems to me they have thrown off the mask.”

The majority suspect that you also insist on investigating the work of the Regions to cover up your mistakes.

«God forbid. We have worked side by side with the Regions. And I believe that we must be proud of the Italian experience, in a very difficult context: the country has held up. The results are the heritage not of a government, but of all of Italy. However, if you make a commission on Covid and exclude the Regions, you clearly demonstrate that your only goal is to hit your political opponents ».

In retrospect, do you reproach yourself for the decisions made during Covid?

«I think, in good conscience, that we have done everything possible to defend people’s right to health, following the evidence of the scientific community that was evolving day by day. And I’m sorry that this commission has no chance to bring truths to light. It will only throw mud on the country. Which doesn’t deserve it. Pope Francis, then, in a dramatically empty St. Peter’s Square, said: “Worse than this crisis there is only the risk of wasting it”. We don’t seem to have learned our lesson.”

In recent days the clash between politics and robes has rekindled: on the Delmastro and Santanché cases, sources in Palazzo Chigi have spoken of magistrates who want to get involved in politics. What do you think?

«Those who govern have the responsibility of never triggering this dynamic of confrontation between politics and the judiciary. The affirmations and tones that emerged from Palazzo Chigi are serious. I too was investigated on Covid, before the crime hypotheses were defined in the sentence as “totally unfounded”. It was not easy to be under investigation. But, especially in the role we play, we have a duty to respond to public opinion and respect the work of judges. We defend ourselves with arguments, not by attacking in a crude way».

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