Marino hands in resignation

(ANSA) - Rome, October 12 - Outgoing Rome Mayor Ignazio Marino on Monday made his resignation official by handing it over in writing to the relevant official. Beginning on Tuesday, by law he will have 20 days - or until November 2 - to either withdraw or confirm his resignation. In the meantime, he will still be carrying out his duties, such as marrying people at city hall and signing ordinances.
    Today, he made the city a civil plaintiff in the trial of five defendants in the so-called Rome Mafia corruption and racketeering case involving businessmen, gangsters and politicians. Among the defendants is ex-AMA trash company managing director Giovanni Fiscon, who was appointed by former rightwing mayor Gianni Alemanno in what prosecutors say was part of a deal Rome Mafia suspects. Trial begins October 20, and Marino made a point of saying he will attend the first hearing as mayor of the city.
    As well, he signed three ordinances for Jubilee-related public works to improve the flow of traffic along the Tiber river and in the area surrounding St. Peter's Cathedral. The total budget is 10 million euros.
    Marino resigned Friday under pressure from his own PD party in what supporters say was an orchestrated attack because the mayor prosecuted corrupt officials and angered the Vatican with his stance in favor of gay marriage. Since then, almost 40,000 people have signed a petition asking Marino not to quit, and protesters gathered Sunday at City Hall and today at the national headquarters of Premier Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party (PD). They carried signs saying "Rome wants its mayor back" and "The Rome Mafia thanks the PD and the Vatican" among other expressions of support for Marino, who was elected in 2013 with 64% of the vote. "They took our vote away from us," said one woman. "The PD drove out Marino....In two and a half years, he did what these guys over here haven't done in 40 years". "He took on the powers that be," agreed another. "This way the PD has lost a lot of votes," said another woman supporter. "They can forget about my vote now".
    As supporters rallied, prosecutors ordered the finance police to seize all records of expenses Marino made using the city's credit card. The investigation was sparked by a formal report from two opposition parties - the small rightwing Brothers of Italy (FdI) and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, currently the second-largest party in Italy after Marino's PD.
    The mayor could face embezzlement charges if evidence is found to support opposition allegations he spent some 20,000 euros of taxpayers' money on private dinners.