A fresh corruption probe hit
the works for next year's world's fair, Milan Expo 2015, on
Wednesday when the commissioner in charge of the Italian
pavilion was placed under investigation for suspected graft
including alleged bid rigging.
Italy's anti-corruption czar, Raffaele Cantone, said the
official under investigation, Antonio Acerbo, could pose a
"problem".
Milan finance police on Wednesday carried out searches and
seized documents after Acerbo was placed under investigation.
According to prosecutors Acerbo, 65, is accused of taking
bribes to steer a 100-million-euro contract for the so-called
'Vie d'Acqua' (Waterways) project to construction magnate Enrico
Maltauro in 2013.
Acerbo agreed to help investigators.
His lawyer, Federico Cecconi, told reporters he wanted to
talk to prosecutors as soon as possible to "clear up his
position".
Maltauro was placed under house arrest in May in a larger
probe that led to the arrests of former Expo procurement and
planning manager Angelo Paris and three others, including a
former Christian Democrat MP, in connection with what
prosecutors are calling the "bid rigging mafia".
Acerbo, a former public manager for the city of Milan, is
also the deputy Expo commissioner for infrastructural works.
Finance police are also conducting searches in connection
with other suspects who may have acted as intermediaries in the
alleged corruption, prosecutors said.
Anti-corruption czar Raffaele Cantone said Wednesday that
the allegations of wrongdoing against Acerbo must be fully
investigated.
"For now, we only have press reports," that Milan finance
police placed Acerbo under investigation on suspicion of
corruption and bid rigging, said Cantone, who has special powers
to supervise public contracts - including those at the World's
Fair.
"At the moment, it is difficult to proceed," added Cantone,
who said he planned to meet Thursday with Diana Bracco, general
commissioner of the Italian Pavilion, to discuss the problem.
"I also want to talk to the prosecutor handling the case as
soon as possible," Cantone added.
The various probes, as well as reports that several firms
linked to the Ndrangheta' (Calabrian mafia) have been found to
have won initial contracts, have threatened to muddy the event's
image.
But Premier Matteo Renzi was characteristically upbeat,
responding to the graft probe reports by unveiling a new
transparency site.
Renzi unveiled the site on September 11, stressing that it
would cover all developments.
"OpenExpo, with online transparency data and information for
all available, #italiariparte (#Italyrestarts)," Renzi said on
Twitter.
Renzi recently said on a visit to the site that he would
not let those who want to see the event fail "get any
satisfaction".
The premier said the workers "are not just building a
structure, not just pavilions, they are building and giving back
pride to a country that needs it like bread".
He vowed: "We'll pull it off. We won't leave the future to
the ill wishers and those who bet on failure. We are at work and
everything will be ready (for Expo's opening) on May 1, 2015".
Beppe Grillo, the leader of the anti-establishment 5-Star
Movement (M5S), called for the fair to be scrapped after the
first big corruption probe.
But the premier is confident the event - which focuses on
nutrition, fighting hunger and one of Italy's fortes, quality
food, under the theme Feeding the Planet. Energy for life - will
be "a big hit".
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 recession-hit Italian economy.
The executive gave 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 said.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
