Luigi de Magistris, an Italian MEP and former judge, had to give up his former legal passion and has turned to politics. Over-zealousness caused him to be cast aside in regions where political collusion thrives.

Interview Today: Ex judge to push for inquiries into EU fund fraud (Externded version)

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/14542507/p001-90709-001-l-en.srt

Luigi de Magistris, good morning   and welcome to EuroparlTV.

You have just been elected   to the Italia dei Valori party

led by the former judge Antonio Di Pietro

and you will sit with the Alliance   of Liberals and Democrats.

You are also a former judge. Why do you   want to start a political career?

I wanted to continue being a judge, the   job I love and I luckily did for some time.

I am passionate about it and did it   for 15 years, in difficult regions,

in Naples, in Calabria, fighting   organised and white collar crime.

In Italy, there is serious political   and institutional collusion.

When some investigations   revealed the connections

between mafia crimes and politics,   the economy and some institutions.

A weird mechanism   started within the institutions

and I was first transferred from Calabria

and later I was removed   from my function of prosecutor.

how crime, politics and institutions   are connected in Italy.

and confronted ministers   on thorny issues.

Being a politician means finding   compromises to reach agreements.

No, it isn't. I wanted to keep on being   a prosecutor and they stopped me.

So the only means we can use to improve   the current situation concerning rights

and the fight against   the organised crime is politics.

Politics is the only means   we can use to change society.

Compromise is part of politics,   if it is not based on interests.

But in some issues like the fight   against organised crime,

transparency, integrity, morality   no compromises can be accepted

because limits have to be very clear,   well-marked and effective.

What's the issue you   would like to deal with in Europe?

There are many. First I'd like to   work - as I said today in my speech -

in order to ensure that   European money is really assigned

to the economic development   of Member States.

It should create sustainable development,   job opportunities and revive economy.

administrative committees,   mafia or corrupted politicians.

Europe, the EP,   and committees must keep watch

to ensure that regions invest   these funds in the right way

breaking the link between management   of European money and organised crime.

So, you'll keep on investigating   these from Parliament.

I worked for 15 years as a judge.   I can't change my ways.

I got around 500,000 votes   in Italy. A great result.

People want me to use   my experience and my abilities

to explain to Europe   how serious a problem mafias are

and how they degrade democracies   by investing their money in Europe.

Luigi de Magistris, thank you.   - Thank you too.