Soldiers may be deployed to protect Italian tax offices

“Bringing in the army to defend sensitive targets is a possibility that we are
studying. This has already been done in the past. We have a limited number
of personnel available and so that is why using the army is a possible
solution.

“We are going through a very difficult moment and some people may feel tempted
(to cause disturbances). We all need to have a sense of duty and ensure that
this temptation does not spread.”

Saturday night’s attack took place on the Equitalia office in Livorno and the
front of the building was left severely damaged by fire after the bombs
exploded. The phrases “Thieves” and “Death to Equitalia” were sprayed onto
outside walls.

It came just 24 hours after more than 200 people had been involved in running
battles with police outside a branch in Naples which left a dozen protesters
and officers hurt.

The attacks have escalated in the six months since Mario Monti took over from
Silvio Berlusconi as prime minister and introduced a tough austerity package
offcuts to public spending, pensions and tax hikes as the country tried to
reign in its £1 trillion debt.

There has also been a striking increase in suicides with people leaving notes
directly blaming Equitalia and tax demands.

Paola Severino, the Justice minister, said: “The economic situation has
produced unease but paying taxes is a duty. On one side there is anger and
the problem of paying when the resources are scare but on the other side is
the fact that they must be paid.”

Economists estimate that around 540 billion euros (£434 billion) is lost
through Italy’s black economy through tax evasion by individuals and
companies – the figure is around 35 per cent of the country’s GDP and last
year more than 12 billion euros were recovered.

Mr Monti has vowed to press on even harder this year to recover the lost
money. He is due to have a meeting with Equitalia chief Attilio Befera to
discuss the situation and he has already said: “We are not going to take a
step back, there will be no giving in to those who have declared was against
the revenue and therefore the State. We will not be intimidated.”

Italy’s chief of staff Claudio Graziano Alla said: “The Army is more than
ready to support the police forces in whatever terms the country needs.”

On Sunday ex-footballer Diego Maradona, who played in Italy with Napoli
between 1984-1991 and who owes an estimated 40 million euros in unpaid taxes
said: “No one has been through what I have – they have been chasing me for
25 years.”

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