Palermo (gro) The Cosa Nostra has assassinated a prime minister and quite a few prosecutors, judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, Communist leader Pio La Torre and Carabiniere General Alberto Dalla Chiesa, to name some of the most prominent victims of the Sicilian mafia. Leoluca Orlando (Image: Prof. Andreas Fritsch/Wikipedia) was also on the hit list of the Sicilian Mafia. This could not prevent Orlando from fundamentally changing Palermo in the past decades. Leoluca Orlando, who has since been re-elected to the office of city leader, must indeed continue to fear for his life. But there is no doubt that this man has decisively weakened the mafia.
Later to the European Parliament
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During his first term as mayor of Palermo, which lasted a total of 15 years from 1985 to 2000, Orlando initially forged an all-party alliance as an exponent of Democrazia Cristiana. He later founded the anti-Mafia party La Rete (The Net) and strengthened the green-social movement in his hometown. He achieved that the citizens took back their city, so to speak. Later sat Orlando as a representative of Antonio Di Pietro’s “Party of Values” in the European Parliament.
Schoolchildren as proud tour guides
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During Orlando’s tenure as city leader, churches and palazzi in Palermo that had been inaccessible for decades, some for more than 100 years, were reopened. Schoolchildren have since proudly organized regular guided tours for locals and tourists – part of a comprehensive program to reclaim the historic center, which was in danger of falling apart in the early 1980s. Thanks to Orlando, a major redevelopment program was launched with funding from the European Union. Neighborhoods that seemed extinct and gloomy 20 years ago are now filled with new life. Where only a few years ago even locals hardly dared to go, a new scene is blossoming with inventive gastronomy and fun pubs.
Perverting beneficial properties
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The Mafia, says Orlando, perverts intrinsically beneficial achievements and attitudes such as pride, friendship, a sense of tradition, or courage, by violently abusing these virtues for their own purposes. Because the values have changed, the mafia has also changed. In the meantime, the mafia pursues its interests by usurping desirable things such as freedom, security or wealth. And another change has taken place, he said: “The old mafia was Sicilian, the new mafia is European, in part organized worldwide.”
“Perfect legality does not exist”
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Whoever wants to fight organized crime and corruption must avoid extreme attitudes, according to Orlando. Perfect legality does not exist, perfect legality inevitably degenerates into repression. Another thing to avoid is the cliché, the uncritical preconceived opinion. And what is absolutely necessary is personal courage, civil courage, standing up for one’s conviction.