Raggi leant on AMA chief to push accounts into red -wiretaps

(ANSA) - Rome, April 18 - In wiretaps published by L'Espresso weekly, Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi allegedly leans on the former CEO of Rome waste company AMA, Lorenzo Bagnacani, to push the firm's accounts into the red.
    She allegedly wanted the accounts to be tweaked by withholding credits from cemetery services.
    Bagnacani said he was sacked after he refused to do the mayor's bidding after her "undue pressure", the former manager said in a police complaint published by L'Espresso. Raggi should quit if the content of the new published wiretaps turns out to be true, League Minister for Regional Affairs Erika Stefani said Thursday.
    Stefani said that, if true, the wiretaps would amount to "the confession of a serious crime and a clear admission of a flagrant inability to govern".
    "In line with the rules of her 5-Star Movement we expect her immediate resignation".
    In a statement Thursday, Rome city council "there was never any pressure (on Bagnacani) but the simple application of the norms, the balance sheet proposed by Bagnacani broke the norms and would have guaranteed bonuses for the CEO and the managers".
    In a November 26 wiretap, Raggi allegedly said "You have to give me a hand Lorenzo, you're not helping me.
    "I have the city practically out of control, the trade unions are doing whatever the f**k they like".
    Bagnacani allegedly replies: "we must take into account that to give you a hand we can't do what is not possible" to which the mayor allegedly replies "get the auditors to say it. If you try to change your planned budget...try to make a draft to change your plan...you're not giving me any f**king support Lorenzo...what can I do?" She allegedly went on: "if they look our of their windows and see shit in the city, in some areas that's the way it is unfortunately...there's no helping it."