The defence attorney for Armando
Siri, the League Transport Undersecretary accused of taking a
30,000 euro bribe from a Sicilian windfarm king linked to Cosa
Nostra's No.1 fugitive, said Tuesday "we are ready to clear
things up, if it were deemed necessary or even only opportune,
in the respective institutionally competent fora".
Transport and Infrastructure Undersecretary Siri was placed
under investigation in a Rome and Palermo corruption probe
Thursday.
According to prosecutors, Siri allegedly received money to
modify a norm to be inserted into the 2018 DEF economic
blueprint which would have favoured funding for firms operating
in the renewable energy sector.
The norm was never approved.
Siri is alleged to have tried to favour a wind farm
entrepreneur linked to Cosa Nostra and accused of helping the
Sicilian mafia's number one fugitive Matteo Messina Denaro, Vito
Nicastri, in exchange for a 30,000 bribe, prosecutors said.
The bribe was allegedly handed over by university professor
Paolo Arata, a businessman and expert on the League's energy
policy, and by Nicastri in Rome.
Arata was described as a "wheeler-dealer" operating between
the League and Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party.
Rome prosecutors said in their search warrant that Siri had
used his public role for private interests.
Siri is the leading ideologue behind the League's 'flat tax'
proposals and among the protagonists of leader Matteo Salvini's
switch to a nationalist rather than regionalist stance.
For the government, he is following the dossier on the revamp
and relaunch of bankrupt former flag carrier Alitalia.
He has not been charged, and has strenuously denied the bribe
accusation.
The League has also come under fire after Cabinet Secretary
Gianfranco Giorgetti hired Arata's son.
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