Anti-establishment 5-Star
Movement (M5S) bigwig Luigi Di Maio on Tuesday said he had "paid
back 204,582.62 euros in three years to Italian citizens, and
I'm happy to have done so". The Lower House Deputy Speaker, who
has been accused of overspending, said "I've also happened to
have paid for hotels, air and train tickets for institutional
trips and air-train tickets for local events, without getting
them reimbursed by the House, even though I would have been
entitled to it. In practice I now have two posts, but the State
pays just one". Di Maio, usually described as the M5S's future
candidate for premier, has been facing criticism of his spending
from fellow members of the M5S. Another M5S bigwig, State
broadcaster RAI watchdog chair Roberto Fico, on Monday denied
leading a move against him. The M5S prides itself on
transparency in spending.
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