Free Trieste

Free Trieste’s demonstration before the Court of Trieste (April 2014).

“The Republic of Italy has consolidated the recognition of the Free Territory of Trieste as a State and of its international Free Port with Law No. 3054/1952, in force and binding under Articles 10, sub-paragraph 1 and 117, sub-paragraph 1, of the Italian Constitution”.

On March 17th, before the Tax Commission of Trieste, there will be an important hearing, which is part of the battle for the recognition of the right of the citizens of the Free Territory of Trieste; there will be a discussion about the first act of fiscal opposition presented by a citizen of Trieste against the illegal collection of taxes carried on by the Equitalia S.p.A., the concessionaire of the State of Italy which does mercilessly work hard to enforce the taxation of the Republic of Italy even in Trieste, in spite of the status of the City and of its international Free Port, outside the jurisdiction of the Republic of Italy since it is an independent land, recognized as such under the Treaty of Peace of 1947, in force and never amended.

Under international law, the Free Territory of Trieste must have its own accounts and taxes, it is only temporarily entrusted to the Italian Government under a special trusteeship mandate and it is must not pay the public debt of Italy. Instead, the administering Italian Government simulates that Trieste is a province of the Republic of Italy and forces it to pay Italian taxes, burdened by Italy’s enormous public debt: more than 136% of the gross domestic product.

While the entrusted Italian Government and the Republic of Italy, which is a third State, have given back to the Free Territory of Trieste only the 10% of the value of what they have subtracted to it in taxes, missed opportunities to develop, the shouting down of its primary industries – like the shipyards – and  the abandon of the Northern sector of the international Free Port.

The act to to oppose the illegal taxation imposed by Italy to the Free Territory of Trieste was lodged on December 22nd, 2011, only one week after the first exception of jurisdiction, which I had raised before the Court of Trieste, denying the power of Italian magistrates to judge the citizens of the Free Territory.

Three years later (actually, 39 months) the hearing begins.

On one side, the Republic of Italy which, in violation of its own laws and its own Constitutions, attempts to repress any expression of the legitimate rights of the citizens of the Free Territory of Trieste.

On the other side, stands a citizen of the Free Territory of Trieste who is claiming respect for his rights and for the law, who declares he will only consider valid and comply with fiscal dispositions issued by the Courts and executives – or their subordinates – which are legitimately and expressly delegated by the Italian Government as special temporary trustee of the Free Territory of Trieste and who are authorized to exercise their functions in accordance with the legitimate legal order of the Free Territory itself.

The Fiscal Liberation is not a seditious campaign against Italy or others. It is a legitimate, peaceful action based on laws in force. We stand before the Courts of Justice and the Organization of the United Nations, to restore international legality and the rights of the Free Territory of Trieste, of its citizens and its enterprises, which are now violated by corrupted Italian political authorities.

International legality versus a subversive State.

Translated from blog “Environment and Legality” by Roberto Giurastante