Matteo Orfini, the president of the
ruling centre-left Democratic Party (PD), has said no apologies
were owed to Rome over the 'Capital Mafia' corruption case, in
which over 40 defendants were sentenced to a total of more than
250 years in jail on Thursday.
"We can react in many ways to yesterday's sentence, all
understandable and legitimate," Orfini wrote in an article on
the site of magazine Left Wing.
"But the most mistaken is that which has perhaps been most
widespread over the last few hours - to say that you should say
sorry to Rome because Rome is not a mafia city.
"I say that as a Roman who is in love with my city.
"The Mafia is present in Rome. And it is strong and deep
rooted".
The charge of mafia association against 19 of the defendants,
including ringleaders Massimo Carminati, a former gangster and
ex-member of the NAR right-wing terrorist group, and leftwing
cooperatives chief Salvatore Buzzi, was scrubbed.
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