Beleaguered Infrastructure and
Transport Minister Maurizio Lupi said Thursday that he would
resign on Friday in the Lower House.
He made the statement while recording an appearance on RAI
public television program Porta a Porta.
Lupi has been under pressure to resign over allegations of
a connection to a corruption case involving public contracts.
"I think perhaps my decision will strengthen the actions of
the government," said Lupi, whose infrastructure ministry was at
the centre of many of the contracts in question in the
investigation.
Lupi was going to be forced to face a no-confidence motion
on Tuesday, presented by the opposition Left, Ecology and
Freedom (SEL) party and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement
(M5S), ANSA sources said earlier in the day after a meeting of
party whips.
Lupi had come under fire after allegations he asked for
favors for his son from graft suspect Ercole Incalza, a former
top executive at his ministry who remained as a key ministry
consultant until he was arrested earlier in the week.
Prosecutors said Incalza, a public-works official for seven
governments, oversaw "systemic corruption" on a massive scale.
He was arrested Monday along with his aide Sandro Pacella
and businessmen Stefano Perotti and Francesco Cavallo in the
probe that saw more than 50 people including politicians placed
under investigation for suspected kickbacks that inflated costs
by as much as 40%.
Lupi's son was allegedly hired by an engineer, Giorgio Mor,
at Perotti's behest in what a judge said was a favour that might
have been reciprocated in some way. The indirect hiring of Luca
Lupi by Perotti may have been part of "an illicit quid pro quo"
by the minister, a judge alleged. Prosecutors said Wednesday
Incalza
Lupi, a member of the New Centre Right (NCD) party, was
expected to report to parliament on the case on Friday.
There was speculation that Lupi was already reflecting on
his position and some he said might announce his resignation on
Friday, even while maintaining his assertion that he has done
nothing wrong.
The decision to quit came after Lupi and his party head,
Interior Minister Angelino Alfano, met with Premier Matteo Renzi
earlier in the day.
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