Tav, Gratteri: 'Subcontracting is the weak link in the chain'

Naples – Subcontracting as a potential vulnerability in the public procurement system. This was the topic discussed by Naples Public Prosecutor Nicola Gratteri, speaking on the sidelines of the 22nd edition of the Giancarlo Siani Prize.

His comments come amid continued scrutiny of the investigation into the Naples-Bari high-speed rail project, in which investigators have identified a system of alleged bribes and gangmastering.

"The preventive system doesn't work"

Answering reporters' questions, Gratteri focused primarily on the regulatory system and prevention mechanisms.

"It's the regulatory system, which is primarily preventative, that doesn't work," the prosecutor explained, citing as an example the possibility of resorting to subcontracting for the construction of works.

And subcontracting, according to Gratteri, is precisely the element most exposed to distortions in the system.

The transition from one company to another

The prosecutor then described the mechanism that, according to his analysis, can occur along the procurement chain: "We know that often when there's a transition, a step, there's a bribe and then the non-compliance with the work."

A system in which, Gratteri noted, profit margins can progressively shrink as the levels of subcontracting multiply. "It's obvious that profit margins become increasingly slimmer as you move from subcontract to subcontract," he said, adding that "there's often a kickback between one subcontract and the next."

The shadow of criminal organizations

The prosecutor's reasoning then shifted to the relationship between the management of public resources and the presence of organized crime.

Speaking about the investigation into the Naples-Bari high-speed rail line, Gratteri emphasized that he didn't find such incidents surprising: "They're nothing new to me." He added: "The mafia, or fixers, or greedy people, are present wherever money and power are involved."

The statements come amid intense investigative scrutiny of the high-speed rail project, bringing back to the forefront of the debate the need to monitor not only the initial awarding of major projects, but also all subsequent stages in the procurement and subcontracting chain.