Milan Expo 2015 Commissioner Giuseppe Sala said Monday he will take over as commissioner for the construction of the Italy pavilion. He replaces Antonio Acerbo, who stepped down prior to being arrested on charges of corruption and bid-rigging. Acerbo is suspected of steering a 100-million-euro contract for the Expo Waterways project to a consortium led by construction magnate Enrico Maltauro in exchange for consultancy contracts for his son Livio, prosecutors said.
Acerbo, 65, was put under house arrest together with two others as part of a broader investigation into corruption related to next year's keenly awaited Universal Exhibition. Prosecutors are investigating two contracts in particular: one, for 36,000 euros paid by Maltauro in 2012; and the other promised by consortium member company Tagliabue but which never materialised.
The Waterways project is now likely to be put under compulsory administration as a result of the probe, the president of Italy's anti-corruption authority Raffaele Cantone said last week.
Acerbo suspended himself from all Expo-related posts this month after it emerged in September he was under investigation.
Acerbo had initially stepped down as Expo executive officer, while remaining in charge of procedures for the Italian pavilion.
Maltauro was placed under house arrest in May in a larger probe that rocked preparations for next year's event and led to the arrests of former Expo procurement and planning manager Angelo Paris and several others, including a former Christian Democrat MP.
Expo Milano 2015, on the theme of feeding the planet, is being widely touted as a major showcase for Italian ingenuity, inventiveness and hard work.
Premier Matteo Renzi has been characteristically upbeat, saying he would not let those who want to see the event fail "get any satisfaction".
Renzi's government has promised to root out the corruption, while remaining committed to an event that it hopes will provide a major lift for the stagnant Italian economy.
The executive gave national anti-corruption czar Cantone special powers to oversee Expo, which is expected to attract more than 20 million visitors during its six-month run.
"Expo will be the key to getting Italy going again," the premier has said.
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