Russian fund insinuations could 'pollute' vote - Conte

(ANSA) - ROME, SEP 15 - 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Giuseppe Conte said Thursday that there was a risk insinuations about Russian funding to political parties could contaminate the campaign for Italy's September 25 general election.
    According to a US intelligence report, Russia has given over $300 million to foreign parties, officials and politicians in more than 20 countries since 2014.
    Adolfo Urso, the president of the Italian parliament's Copasir intelligence oversight body, has said that there was no news of Italy being involved in the US report at the moment.
    Brothers of Italy (FdI) leader Giorgia Meloni and League leader Matteo Salvini said Wednesday that they have never accepted money from Moscow.
    "I wouldn't like the election campaign to be polluted by these insinuations and conjectures, which I hope are all false," ex-premier Conte told reporters in Bari.
    "It is necessary to handle this issue with care, not toss on the floor of a delicate, complex election campaign". (ANSA).