The hearing is the Memorandum of Understanding regarding the Free Territory of Trieste.

Trieste, 14 January 2014. – Free Trieste organizes a demonstration in front of the Court of Trieste. On the same day, there is a new hearing of a trial against Roberto Giurastante and Paolo G. Parovel. The Court is set to discuss the 1954 Memorandum of Understanding regarding the Free Territory of Trieste. The document’s legal translation is ready: we expect a judgment.

Administration or sovereignty? It is indeed a fundamental question for the Free Territory of Trieste and for all of its citizens, residents, and enterprises.

It won’t be an easy hearing, the one on January 22nd. The Court of Trieste must rule (sole judge: P. Leanza) about an exception regarding jurisdiction. Robert Giurastante, Free Trieste’s vice President, has lodged the exception himself.

The MOU of 5 October 1954 sub-entrusts the Italian Government (not the Italian State) with just temporary civil administration over what, at the time, was Zone A of the Free Territory of Trieste and over its international Free Port.

The Italian Government commits te respect the Free Territory’s legislation. On its side, the Italian State recognizes the Free Territory since 1947.

It isn’t a difference in name only. The Free Territory is exempted from the payment of Italy’s public debt (art. 5, Annex X of the 1947 Italian Peace Treaty) and has the right to its own taxation. This means that we, the people of Trieste, have the right to pay much less taxes, proportionate to our own State’s needs. Such a taxation would not only allow us to create new jobs, it would help us save the many businesses that struggle because of the ongoing economic crisis.

Also, thanks to its international Free Port, Trieste could create jobs also for the people of the many States entitled with special or general rights over it (including Italy). Thanks to its free zones, Trieste can create thousand of jobs also in the bordering (Slovenia, Italy) and neighboring States.

The judge has two choices now. He can admit that he exercises jurisdiction of the Free Territory under the 1954 MOU. Or he can reject the exception, but then he must issue a judgment. And one such judgment would become a strong evidence against the Trieste’s administering Italian authorities.