Prosecutors on Monday wound up
questioning Reforms and Relations with Parliament Minister Maria
Elena Boschi over a government amendment on a southern Italian
oil project that last week spurred industry minister Federica
Guidi to resign.
Asked why they had quizzed Boschi, Potenza Prosecutor Luigi
Gay said "it was necessary".
Gay did not respond to criticism from Premier Matteo Renzi
over the alleged slow pace of Potenza cases.
Judges have yet to set a date for questioning Guidi, who
resigned last week over a phone call telling Gemelli about a
government amendment that would benefit him.
Gemelli is being investigated for corruption conspiracy and
falsely claiming influence over a public official in order to
obtain bribes.
While neither Guidi nor Boschi are under investigation,
wiretaps emerged last week in which Guidi discussed with Gemelli
an amendment to a budget bill containing measures for the
development of the Tempa Rossa oil field in Italy's south, which
Boschi signed.
Premier Matteo Renzi said the amendment was his, and as
such he is willing to be questioned in the matter, but
investigators have thus far indicated they don't intend to
interview him.
An appeal will be heard this week on a second prosecution
request for an arrest warrant for Gemelli, which has been
rejected by a preliminary hearing judge.
Meanwhile, the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S)
will hold a demonstration Monday in the town of Viggiano in the
Basilicata region to protest over the scandal regarding the ENI
oil production plant there, where five ENI staffers were
arrested on suspicion of illegal waste trafficking and disposal.
M5S chief Beppe Grillo tweeted that party members will be
at the Tempa Rossa oil field "for an inspection".
Renzi's Democratic Party (PD) will hold a meeting of
senior party members on Monday, where one of the matters to be
discussed is the rejection of an April 17 referendum on offshore
oil and gas drilling in Italy, which PD officials have said
would be a "pointless" waste of 300 million euros of taxpayer
money.
As well, Codacons consumer group said it has asked
prosecutors to extend their investigation to Boschi in order to
assess her responsibility in the matter. It cited recent media
reports that Boschi allegedly caved to pressure from oil
lobbies.
Renzi has said Boschi had nothing to do with the amendment
other than signing off on it, which she was duty-bound to do in
her capacity as relations with parliament minister.
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