The Formation of the National Award in the Name of Italian Magistrate Giovanni Falcone
On April 22, 2009, the National Award in the name of Giovanni Falcone was formed at the Blagoevgrad Municipality. Giovanni Falcone was an Italian Magistrate, who paid with his life while defending professional positions to limit the influence of the Sicilian Cosa Nostra.
He was killed by the mafia, along with his wife and three body guards on May 23, 1992. To achieve their goal, the mafia used 350 kilograms of dynamite, which caused an explosion under the highway from Palermo to the airport in Palermo, near the city of Carassi.
His life story is similar to that of his close friend Paolo Borsellino. Both came from poor regions of Palermo, both made their careers as antimafia magistrates, and both met with equally sad destinies: both were killed in 1992 (less than two months apart) in particularly daring bombings conducted by the Italian mafia.
Their murders shocked all of Italy, and forced the adoption of a set of stringent laws against the mafia.
In recognition of their efforts to combat the mafia, they were awarded the Italian “Medagalia d’Oro Al Valor Civile” (the Gold Medal for Civilian Heroism) after their deaths in 1992.
To this day in Italy, Magistrates Giovanni Falcone and Pa0lo Borsselino are regarded as heros of Sicily. Some Italians even think they should be declared saints by the Vatican.
Giovanni Falcone introduced innovative techniques for investigations, which were borrowed from a group of investigative magistrates who worked together in close cooperation and participated in information exchanges
The words of Giovanni Falcone will always be remembered, “The mafia is a human case, and as all human cases have beginnings, there will be and end.”
As the moto of his life, “Cowards die every day, the brave – only once!”
Among the founders of this award are the Italian Consul - Mr. Gianluca Skiritsi; the Deputy Mayor of Blagoevgrad - Dr. Valentin Vassilev; Mrs. Lily Borgato, Rotary Club of Gotse Delchev; the President of the Rotary Club Blagoevgrad - Mr. Julian Gosheva; the President of the Rotary Club Sandanski - Mr. Pavlin Ivanov; Mr Emil Sekulova - Interior Ministry, Blagoevgrad; Father Andon Shavulev - Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Chruch "Presentation of the Blessed Virgin” Blagoevgrad; Mr. Vladimir Kachakliev - Chairman of the"right of free choice"; Judge Peter Pandev - OS Blagoevgrad; Judges Ekaterina Nikolova and Kalina Ivanova, Blagoevgrad; Prosecutor Ivailo Filipov, Blagoevgrad; students from Southwest University, "Neophyte Rilski," Blagoevgrad; and parents of drug addicted youth.
Following discussions on the criteria, selection and evaluation of the nominees, the following decision was made:
To have nominees in two categories – police and magistrates, and to award to prizes; Предложенията да са аргументирани и да носят усещане за справедливост; The awards will have a primarily moral dimension – plaques and awards for the two winners, and certificates for all nominees; The criteria for nominations will be different, according to the nature of the nominees’ work; Nominations will come from Municipal Councils on Drug Addiction located around the country, from parent organizations, crime reporters throughout the country, judges will nominate judges, and prosecutors will give suggestions for police and investigators.
