Conte not fazed by Lombardy probe

(ANSA) - Rome, June 11 - Premier Giuseppe Conte said Thursday he was "not worried" about a probe into the government's alleged failure to promptly seal off two of the Lombardy towns where the coronavirus epidemic first broke out.
    "I will say the things I have to say to the prosecutors," he said.
    "I will dutifully report all the facts to my knowledge.
    "I'm not at all worried".
    Relatives of virus victims protested Thursday in Bergamo, filing 50 complaints to local magistrates.
    Prosecutors in the Lombardy city of Bergamo north of Milan are set to quiz, as witnesses, Conte and health and interior ministers Roberto Speranza and Luciana Lamorgese over the alleged failure to promptly set up 'red zones' in the two Lombard towns among the most hard hit by the coronavirus.
    The hearing will concern the alleged failure to set up red zones at Nembro and Alzano Lombardo by sealing them off.
    Franco Locatelli, the director of the Higher Health Council (CSS), said Thursday that "we pointed attention immediately on Alzano and Nembro".
    Lombardy is the hardest hit region with half of Italy's total of 3,500 virus deaths.
    Veneto comes fourth, after Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont.
    President Sergio Mattarella has announced that he will inaugurate the next school year in September at the Veneto town of Vo' Euganeo, which saw Italy's first COVID-19 victim.
    The Bergamo COVID victims' relatives committee said "there were 15 days of absolute inertia that allowed the outbreak in the mid Seriana Valley to spread freely and in an uncontrolled way, becoming a fire of devastating proportions".
    They made these arguments in several suits for alleged negligent manslaughter deaths filed at the Bergamo prosecutor's office.