Crosetto announces 12,000 auxiliary Carabinieri to boost Operation Safe Streets

Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, announced Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni by releasing a video of his visit to the military engaged in the garrison at the Milan Rogoredo station as part of Operation Safe Streets, 'is working to strengthen the garrison on the road with about 12,000 auxiliary carabinieri'.

That this is the road Crosetto recently reiterated. In fact, it is the project already announced by the Defence Minister to reinstate the figure that disappeared with the end of compulsory conscription in 2005, to gradually replace the contingent of around 6,800 soldiers engaged in the Strade Sicure operation.

Speaking on Wednesday 28 January during question time at the Chamber of Deputies to answer questions on military support to Ukraine and on initiatives to adapt the defence model to the current international context, including through the military reserve instrument, he explained: 'In line with what our allies are doing, the Ministry of Defence, in addition to the study on increasing personnel and the professional model, is developing the concept of voluntary reserve, on which I have been speaking for some time.

A resource that is still modern, flexible, composed of citizens who provide the State with skills that are decisive today, from cybersecurity to digital technologies, from space to artificial intelligence'. And she added: "It is my intention to add to this reserve contingents of auxiliary personnel, for example to be recruited from the Carabinieri, in support of internal security, providing more specialised professionalism for these needs, and progressively freeing up resources for the now growing commitments of the other armed forces". The premier now gives an indication of how many there will be.

Also in recent days, Crosetto had outlined the path that will lead to defence reform, within which this aspect will also be developed. The text of the law will reach the Council of Ministers by March. The minister instructed a Strategic Committee to work on the bill. The objective, he emphasised, is 'to present Parliament with a clear proposal, built on the real needs of the country'.