Italy should clear up whether the
nationalist League party sought or received funding from Russia,
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday.
"Clarification is up to Italy," she said.
"I think that the Italian parliament or others will ask for
clarification on the affair".
Premier Giuseppe Conte has said he is willing to report to
the Senate on July 24 over suspicions a person close to the
League party discussed taking funding via oil kickbacks from
Russia.
Deputy Premier, Interior Minister and League leader Matteo
Salvini has refused to report to parliament specifically about
this case, saying he is willing to talk about everything during
his regular question-time session.
Salvini said his party has not taken a rouble off the
Russians and described the case as "ridiculous".
On Wednesday Salvini reiterated that he would not make time
for a session specifically on the affair.
"I don't report on fantasy," he said.
However, he has since said he may discuss the case with
parliament before Conte does.
Milan prosecutors opened a probe after reports that
Lombardy-Russia Association President Paolo Savoini met with two
other Italians, lawyers Gianluca Meranda and Francesco Vannucci,
and three Russians in a Moscow hotel to discuss siphoning off an
alleged 65 million euros from oil profits.
The minister has denied inviting Savoini to take part in two
bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin
recently.
Police placed Meranda and Vannucci under investigation
Wednesday and searched their homes.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
