Mantua Mayor Mattia
Palazzi of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) has been placed
under investigation for allegedly demanding sexual favours in
exchange for funding a local cultural association, police said
Friday.
The PD mayor is accused of asking a female representative of
a local cultural association for sex, in exchange for municipal
funding, the Gazzetta di Mantova newspaper reported.
Palazzi denied the charges, saying "I have never asked for
favours from anyone, abusing my role as mayor."
The PD official said "I know that lady but there was never
anything private with her.
"In the end the town council only awarded the patronage of
one of the association's events".
Palazzi's alleged accuser, whom the Gazzetta spoke to but did
not identify, denied reporting him on Friday.
"I never made any move against Palazzi," said the woman, the
vice president of the cultural association.
"Indeed, I go further: if false accusations come out against
him I will defend him".
She went on:
"I know him, we have met on public occasions.
The woman denied getting any funds from Mantua's public
coffers.
"We have not received even a euro from the Mantua town
council, but only its patronage, which we didn't even use," she
said.
The president and the vice president of the cultural
association were quizzed yesterday morning as persons with
knowledge relevant to the case by assistant prosecutor Donatella
Pianezzi.
At the moment, therefore, it is not clear who reported the
mayor to the police.
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