Audit Court 'evaluating' Sangiuliano case
Culture minister's lawyer says no evidence of blackmail
Audit Court sources said Monday that
the furore over the alleged involvement in official
communications and trips of a woman Culture Minister Gennaro
Sangiuliano had an affair with "has not gone unnoticed", adding
that the State auditor was "making evaluations on the case".
Members of the centre-left opposition have asked for
Sangiuliano's resignation after reports that influencer and
businesswoman Maria Rosaria Boccia may have had access to email
exchanges regarding the upcoming G7 Culture meeting.
Sangiuliano, 62, admitted having a relationship with Boccia in
an long interview with State broadcaster Rai on Wednesday, but
denied that she had had access to classified information or that
public money was spent on her.
He said Boccia had been set to be made an official advisor for
major events but he "revoked her appointment" because of the
relationship between them.
He also said he had offered his resignation to Premier Giorgia
Meloni over the case but she had declined.
Boccia, 41, has disputed the minister's version of events.
Sangiuliano's lawyer Silverio Sica said Friday that there was
"no evidence that the minister has been blackmailed", adding the
case was an "extremely private" one.
He also said the minister was considering filing a complaint to
prosecutors about Boccia's statements.
The parliamentary committee that oversees Rai, meanwhile, will
meet on Tuesday after opposition parties complained about the
amount of airtimeTG1 news devoted to the Sangiuliano interview.
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