Deputy Lombardy Governor Mario
Mantovani from Silvio Berlusconi's center-right Forza Italia
(FI) party was among three people arrested on Tuesday on
suspicion of corruption, ANSA sources said.
The arrest of the top local pol in ex-premier Silvio
Berlusconi's Forza Italia (FI) party prompted opposition parties
at the regional assembly to moot a no-confidence motion against
Governor Roberto Maroni of FI's erstwhile allies, the
anti-immigrant and anti-euro Northern League.
Investigators said they believed Mantovani tampered with
public contracts - including those for transporting dialysis
patients - in exchange for free renovations on real estate owned
by himself and his relatives while he was a Senator, a regional
health councillor, and mayor of the town of Arconate near Milan
between June 2012 and June 2014.
The deputy governor was expected at a Day of Transparency
event on lawfulness in public administration organized by the
region, but was arrested before he could show up.
Also taken into custody were Giacomo Di Capua, a
34-year-old regional employee and assistant to Mantovani, and
Angelo Bianchi, an engineer involved in public tender
competitions in Lombardia and Liguria.
As well, police searched regional government offices, nine
homes and 17 companies linked to the three arrested people and
12 others who are under investigation.
Among those being probed for bid rigging is Lombardy
Economy Councillor Massimo Garavaglia from Maroni's Northern
League.
"We are astonished at this investigation, which we knew
nothing about," Berlusconi said.
"Frankly, the Mantovani we know is a decent person".
Opposition parties said they may submit a no-confidence
motion against Maroni because of the arrest of his deputy.
While Mantovani's arrest meant he couldn't make it to the
Day of Transparency event, regional councillors from the
anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) however did attend the
event - and brought a crate of oranges with them.
"The oranges are for Maroni, in case he goes to visit his
deputy in jail," they told reporters.
During the event, Councillor Enrico Brambilla from the
center-left Democratic Party (PD) told his M5S counterparts that
his party is ready to table a no-confidence motion against
Maroni.
"We'll start drafting a document in the next few hours,"
replied Dario Violi from the M5S.
Violi went on to call for the Maroni administration to step
down.
"We're ready to govern," he added.
The M5S is Italy's second-largest party after Premier
Matteo Renzi's PD.
"I don't know what to say," said Giovanni Toti, a fellow
FI member and governor of the neighboring Liguria region.
"I hope he can prove his innocence".
Maroni, for his part, said Maroni said he was "astonished"
Mantovani had been arrested.
"I hope he will be able to prove his honesty. From what I
hear, most of the charges have nothing to do with his post in
regional government", the governor said.
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