the most advanced contemporary legal systems. Indeed, all the fundamental   
   principles are established and fully implemented: an independent and impartial   
   tribunal constituted by law, the presumption of innocence, the right to a   
   technical defence (by private or ex officio legal representation), and the   
   freedom of the judicial college to form an opinion on the basis of evidence in   
   public hearing and in debate between the prosecution and the defence, leading   
   to   
   the issuance of a sentence able to be substantiated and with the possibility of   
   being contested by appeal and ultimately annulled.   
    All those engaged in judicial roles, both investigators and judges, are   
   selected via co-optation; they may not be recruited by way of a public   
   selection   
   procedure open to the citizens of the State, as normally occurs in other   
   States.   
   They are selected from among professionals of the highest level, with   
   consolidated experience and a recognised reputation (as may be seen in their   
   curricula vitae, which can be consulted via internet). Indeed, they are all   
   professors in Italian universities.   
    With regard to the lawyers, a violation of the right to a defence has been   
   hypothesised. In this respect it is necessary to avoid a basic mistake: the   
   current Vatican legislation, applied by the legal authorities, is perfectly in   
   line with procedural law in the majority of jurisdictions throughout the world,   
   where a specific qualification is required for admission to practice in the   
   courts; this is issued subject to certain prerequisites and the possession of   
   specified qualifications. It is therefore unsurprising that a lawyer able to   
   practice in Italy may not be able to do so in Vatican City State, just as he or   
   she would not be able to practice in Germany or France. Arguments to the   
   contrary would imply that a foreign defendant would be able to claim to be   
   represented in Italy by a foreign private lawyer, which is not permitted. Such   
   conditions do not constitute a limit imposed by the Vatican legal order, but   
   rather a further confirmation of its autonomy and completeness.   
    All lawyers are enrolled on an easily consulted professional register of   
   lawyers with right of audience before the Vatican City State Tribunal. Ex   
   officio or private lawyers may be selected from the professionals on this   
   register.   
    These are lawyers qualified not only at the Tribunals of the Church and the   
   Holy See, but also in the Italian courts, as they are all registered in the   
   respective councils of the Order of Italian lawyers. In addition, they also   
   possess a second degree in canon law and a further diploma conferred following   
   a   
   three-year specialist course at the Roman Rota. Therefore, they are   
   professionals who, aside from being in authorised to practise in Italy, are   
   also   
   in possession of further knowledge rendering them eligible for practice in a   
   jurisdiction in which a knowledge of canon law is necessary.   
    These are prerequisites necessary to guarantee the professionalism and   
   competence of those who are entrusted with ensuring the proper conduct of a   
   trial which, for various reasons, attracts broad attention.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    New hearing in the trial for dissemination of reserved news and documents   
    Vatican City, 7 December 2015 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office today issued   
   the following communique:   
    "This morning at 9.30, in the Vatican City State Tribunal, a further hearing   
   was held in the criminal trial for the dissemination of confidential news and   
   documents.   
    The defendants were all present, accompanied by their respective lawyers (all   
   five of whom are currently recognised as 'private' lawyers: E. Bellardini for   
   Msgr. L.A. Vallejo Balda, L. Sgrò for F. I. Chaouqui, R.C. Baffioni for N.   
   Maio,   
   L. Musso for E. Fittipaldi and R. Palombi for G. Nuzzi).   
    The College of judges (President Prof. Giuseppe Dalla Torre, and the members   
   Prof. Piero Antonio Bonnet, Prof. Paolo Papanti-Pellettier and Prof. Venerando   
   Marano) heard the oral presentation from the defence, along with the objections   
   and demands already submitted in writing prior to the established deadline   
   (Saturday 5 December).   
    With regard to each objection and demand submitted, the opinion of the   
   Promoter   
   of Justice represented by Prof. Milano and Prof. Zannotti was heard.   
    The College therefore retired to the Counsel Chamber shortly before 10.30 for   
   around one hour. Finally, it communicated its decisions, providing the proper   
   detailed motivations. The hearing concluded before midday.   
    The objection presented by Chaouqui's defence regarded the presumed lack of   
   jurisdiction of the Tribunal given that the events took place in Italy and were   
   carried out by a person declared a 'political refugee' in Italy. The objection   
   was rejected, and the College clarified that the current law attributes without   
   doubt the jurisdiction of the Vatican City State Tribunal, and observed that   
   Chaouqui, by appearing before the investigators and the Tribunal, had in   
   practice recognised such jurisdiction.   
    The demand presented by the Msgr. Vallejo Balda's counsel for the defence for   
   a   
   psychological evaluation of the defendant was rejected. The Promoter of Justice   
   explained that the Vatican legal system admits requests for a 'psychiatric   
   evaluation' but not for a 'psychological evaluation', and that aspects of the   
   personality and behaviour of the defendant can emerge adequately during the   
   proceedings.   
    Practically all the other demands were admitted, in particular:   
    - A technical evaluation requested by Chaouqui's counsel for the defence   
   regarding the documentation available via PC and telephones, to be carried out   
   by an expert designated by the Tribunal accompanied by an expert selected by   
   the   
   defence. The Promoter of Justice approved this request.   
    - The acquisition of various further elements of documentation and evidence   
   required by various counsels for the defence (texts of email messages   
   referenced   
   in the investigation, text messages, articles published in various newspapers,   
   and a 'psychiatric evaluation' of Msgr. Vallejo Balda previously carried out   
   and   
   conserved in his home). The Promoter of Justice was in favour of all the above.   
    - The College considered it suitable to admit the requests for further   
   witnesses, presented by various counsels for the defence and for different   
   reasons (including clergy such as Cardinals Santos Abril and Parolin,   
   Archbishop   
   Krajewski and Msgr. Abbondi, and figures from the worlds of journalism and   
   communications, such as Mario Benotti, Paolo Mieli, Paolo Mondani, Paola   
   Brazzale and Marco Bernardi), although the Promoter of Justice had expressed a   
   contrary opinion in some cases".   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    New external auditor for Consolidated Financial Statements   
    Vatican City, 7 December 2015 (VIS) - The Council for the Economy, continuing   
   the implementation of new financial management policies and practices in line   
   with international standards, took an important step this week by appointing a   
   new international auditing firm.   
    The Council accepted a recommendation from its Audit Committee and appointed   
   PricewaterhouseCoopers "PwC", one of the major international firms, as the   
   external auditor for the consolidated financial statements.   
    PwC will work closely with the staff of the Secretariat of the Economy, and   
   the   
   2015 audit will commence immediately.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Audiences   
    Vatican City, 7 December 2015 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in   
   audience:   
    - Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting   
   Christian Unity, presenting a gift on behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarch   
   Bartholomaios;   
    - Maria Elvira Velasquez Rivas-Plata, ambassador of Perù at the Holy See,   
   presenting her credential letters;   
    - Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation   
   of Peoples;   
    - Cardinal Telesphore Placidus Toppo, archbishop of Ranchi, India;   
    - Archbishop Jean-Marie Speich, apostolic nuncio in Ghana;   
    - Eduard Habsburg-Lothringen, ambassador of Hungary at the Holy See;   
    - Nadège Védie, president of the World Conference of Secular Institutes   
   (CMIS),   
   and entourage.   
    On Saturday 5 December the Holy Father received in audience:   
    - Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops;   
    - Eduardo Felix Valdes, ambassador of Argentina, on his farewell visit;   
    - Cardinal Beniamino Stella, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Other Pontifical Acts   
    Vatican City, 7 December 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed:   
    - Archbishop Luciano Suriani, delegate for papal diplomatic representations,   
   as   
   apostolic nuncio in Serbia.   
    - Archbishop Romeo Pawlowski, apostolic nuncio in Congo and Gabon, as delegate   
   for papal diplomatic representations.   
    On Saturday 5 December the Holy Father appointed Archbishop Miguel Maury   
   Buendia as apostolic nuncio in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    Notice   
    Vatican City, 7 December 2015 (VIS) - There will be no Vatican Information   
   Service bulletin tomorrow, Tuesday 8 December, Solemnity of the Immaculate   
   Conception, a holy day and a holiday in the Vatican. Service will resume on   
   Wednesday 9 December.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
   For more information and to search for documents refer to the site:   
   www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va   
      
   Copyright (VIS):  the news contained in the services of the Vatican   
   Information Service may be reproduced wholly or partially by quoting   
   the source:  V. I. S. - Vatican Information Service.   
   http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/vis/vis_en.html   
      
   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)