Sangiuliano-Boccia case, oppositions on the attack: here are the reactions

Oppositions on the attack on Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano following the Boccia case. On the afternoon of Sept. 3, the Roman College incumbent was in talks with Council President Giorgia Meloni and reiterated his position, the same one highlighted yesterday in a letter sent to the daily La Stampa.“I have been in talks with the President of the Council, Giorgia Meloni, to reiterate the truth of my statements contained in the letter sent this morning to the newspaper ’La Stampa,’” Sangiuliano later said in a note released by the Ministry of Culture press office: “never a euro from the ministry, not even for a coffee, has been used for travel and stays of Dr. Maria Rosaria Boccia who, with respect to the organization of the G7 Culture, has never had access to documents of a confidential nature.”

Sangiuliano’s words, however, were not enough to convince the opposition, which throughout the day on September 3 voiced strong criticism of the minister. “The summons of Minister Sangiuliano to Palazzo Chigi,” said Irene Manzi, PD deputy member of the Culture Committee in the Chamber, “is proof that the reconstruction that was made yesterday by Meloni on live television is untrue and full of inaccuracies. Sangiuliano lied and did so even to the highest office of the government whose statements were debunked by the publication of important documents on social networks by a person outside the administration who, according to the minister and the council president, should not have had access to that information. Parliament must be informed as a matter of urgency; we are facing a serious affair that is disgracing the institutions and whose murky contours suggest that Minister Sangiuliano is no longer in a position to act independently. The constant pressure on social media that is leading him to change the reconstruction of the facts day after day suggests probable blackmail. And this is not possible.”

Former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, leader of the 5-Star Movement, expresses his position through a Facebook post: "Minister Sangiuliano must come to Parliament to report on how sensitive government money and information was used, whether it went into the hands of a businesswoman and why. We cannot afford theatrics, social gossip, half statements and letters to the press, on the eve of important international appointments.

It is embarrassing to watch this spectacle with Premier Meloni being denied live by documents posted on social by a private citizen. It is sad in a great country like ours to have to remind everyone every day that public ethics, transparency and honor of institutions come before party friends, personal issues, and political convenience."

A former premier, Matteo Renzi, president of Italia Viva, also spoke on the case: “I am bitter about the Sangiuliano affair,” he declares. “The Minister of Culture who cancelled the 18App accusing the boys of cheating is covering himself with ridicule for the affair of one of his collaborators, more or less official, also exposing President Meloni and the entire government. What hurts in this story, however, is the unscrupulous use of Pompeii. We struggled so hard, 10 years ago, to revive Pompeii, believe me. It seemed like a hopeless undertaking, and instead we gave the beauty of that place back to the world. To read today that perhaps the G7 will not be held in Pompeii to avoid controversy over this Boccaccio story (maybe! Boccaccio was a serious person) fills my heart with sadness. The minister who cancelled the 18App is degrading the very idea of culture in Italy. Pass the unread books, the historical ignorance about Galileo, the geographical ignorance about Times Square, the arrogance of always wanting to lecture others. But to oust the Ministry of Culture in such a mediocre history is inexcusable. In this government, the Undersecretary for Culture, Sgarbi, resigned, and he did well because he was indefensible, but at least he understood about culture. I don’t care if there are crimes, I am a garantist: I think and believe that there are no crimes in this story. But there is a degradation that the Italy of culture, museums, film festivals, bookstores and theaters does not deserve. The Ministry of Culture should protect beauty, not produce degradation. What is Gennaro Sangiuliano waiting for to resign? Meanwhile, Ivan Scalfarotto and Daniela Sbrollini have launched a petition asking Sangiuliano to rid the ministry of its mediocrity.”

The petition by Ivan Scalfarotto and Daniela Sbrollini, both Italia Viva senators, bluntly calls for the minister’s resignation: “Minister Sangiuliano,” the text reads, “has not only lied, not only by his behavior has he exposed Pompeii, the home of culture, to ridicule, but he has also put the safety of the G7 at risk. That is why his presence in government in such a delicate role is no longer sustainable. With a signature we ask to return Italian culture to more serious, more competent, more capable hands.” And they invite everyone to sign, from the Italia Viva website.

Finally, Angelo Bonelli, spokesperson for Green Europe and deputy to the House of the Green and Left Alliance, lets it be known that he has submitted a question to President Meloni “to ask for an urgent clarification on the role and privileges of Maria Rosaria Boccia within the Ministry of Culture. The recent denials and contradictions that have emerged regarding her collaboration with Minister Sangiuliano raise serious doubts about the transparency and integrity of our cultural institutions. It is imperative to clarify whether Boccia had access to confidential documents, participated in official meetings and benefited from public resources, without a formal assignment. And also whether he has used the blue car and why Minister Sangiuliano requested in July to change escorts without explanation. This ’theater’ cannot be ignored: the credibility of institutions and the trust of citizens is at stake. I call on Premier Meloni to intervene decisively to shed full light on this affair and ensure transparency in public administration.”

Sangiuliano-Boccia case, oppositions on the attack: here are the reactions

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