An open letter to the rector of the University of Verona
A letter from David Petrie, Verona
Dear Prof. Mazzucco,
Thank you for your invitation to the official opening of the Italian academic year 2005-2006 taking place on 16 January 2006. I will be pleased to attend in the hope that you will make a public statement concerning what one of the world’s most respected jurists, Professor Sir Neil MacCormick, described as “one of Europe’s greatest scandals”. Verona University has been at the centre of this scandal, involving illegal discrimination based on nationality.
In response to the legitimate claims by the foreign lecturers (lettori) for equal treatment to Italian teaching staff, Verona University took measures to introduce a system of apartheid. These measures were copied and adopted by other universities throughout Italy. The consequences were that Italy has been found to be breaching EU single market rules in four judgements of the European Court of Justice (ECJ). On 26 January 2006 the Advocate General of the ECJ will deliver his opinion concerning the European Commission’s request to have Italy fined at a daily rate of Euro 309.750 for failure to uphold the legally binding judgements of the ECJ.
Ten years ago under the rectorship of Prof. Mario Marigo, the University of Verona made history by becoming the only European institution ever to be condemned at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg for abuse of human rights.(1)
This Parliamentary resolution condemned, in essence, the introduction of apartheid into the University. Lettori were relieved of their duties teaching literature and supervising theses. They were kicked off the university examining boards and their names were removed from the university handbook and internal telephone directories. Accompanied by 65 students we travelled to Strasbourg and denounced these Soviet-style totalitarian attempts to “disappear” us. The European Parliament was appalled – hence the resolution.
The BBC sent journalists to Verona to investigate. Significantly, the rector declined to be interviewed, a fact which the BBC reported.
On 13 December 2005 the European Commission decided to send a letter of formal notice concerning the refusal of the Italian authorities to implement the binding judgement of the European Court of Justice in case C-90/96, 20 November 1997, David Petrie and others vs University of Verona. The point at issue in this case was “Can a foreign lettore be excluded from participating in a selection procedure for a supply teaching post?” The answer, unsurprisingly, was no, as the Regional Administrative Tribunals throughout Italy have consistently ruled. But Verona and other universities continue to flout the law, risking another case in the ECJ and mega-fines.
The cost of apartheid with its necessity for creating a double language has been disastrous for the teaching. Throughout Italy the lettori have been ghettoised in “Linguistic Centres” and the students are forced to take two sets of exams – the official ones in the faculties and “tests” in the Linguistic Centre. The doubling up of official courses with semi-official courses has brought chaos and plumetting standards nationally. To date lettori are illegitimately excluded from all governing bodies of the university in breach of EU law and common sense.
On 18 November 2004 I wrote to you and 24 other rectors requesting dialogue. That letter concludes:
"We therefore request that the necessary steps be taken urgently, especially by the CRUI [Standing Conference of Italian University Rectors] and the Italian Ministry for Education, Universities and Research, to ensure a rapid, concrete and adequate response to these issues, and we remain open to a frank and constructive meeting in order to reach a final solution to this situation which has been allowed to continue far too long."
I received no replies.
I now invite you, in public, to take the initiative towards dismantling this inefficient, legally proven discrimination against the foreign lettori by organising along with us a joint national conference.
(1) European Parliament, resolution B4-0968/95, 13.07.1995.
Note: This letter was first published by JUST Response on January 12 2006 and may be read in the Italian translation here.
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