Rightwing League party leader Matteo
Salvini on Saturday said his high regard for "heroic" anti-gay
general Roberto Vannacci was not in the slightest diminished by
news of an investigation into a series of alleged financial
irregularities committed when the general was military attache
in Moscow a few years ago.
Vannacci, who has become a hero to many on the right over a
self-published best-selling book slamming gays, feminists,
environmentalists, migrants and Jews, is under investigation for
allegedly illegal army payments to relatives, unauthorised
benefit spending linked to his duty car, reimbursements for
organising allegedly non-existent events and dinners, and other
alleged offences that may constitute the crimes of embezzlement
and fraud during his time at the embassy in the Russian capital,
the Corriere della Sera newspaper reported Saturday.
"It is the usual clockwork probe," said Salvini.
"Vannacci is a man who is loved by the citizens and awkward for
the powers that be. Since they can't intimidate him in other
ways, they try with investigations and threats.
"Our high esteem towards him does not change, rather, it rises,"
said Salvini, who is deputy premier and transport minister in
Giorgia Meloni's rightwing government.
Vannacci, who was recently promoted despite his controversial
book, 'The World Back To Front', but is still facing
disciplinary action, has been spoken of as a possible League
election candidate, and has indicated he is prepared to consider
the offer.
Former crack paratroop regiment chief Vannacci, 55, who was
replaced by his direct superior after Defence Minister Guido
Crosetto started disciplinary proceedings in mid-August, has
been defended by many right-wing politicians who say his right
to free speech is sanctioned by the Italian Constitution.
In his book, 'The world back to front', Vannacci, formerly
head of the Folgore paratroopers, says of homosexuals: "You are
not normal, come to terms with it!", insisting that "normality
is heterosexuality".
"If everything seems normal to you, however, it is the fault
of the plots of the international gay lobby," he adds.
He also speaks strongly in favour of self defence: If a
burglar enters a house, "why should I not be authorised to shoot
him, to stab him with whatever object I can get my hands on?".
"If I plunge the pencil I have in my breast pocket into the
jugular of the mug that attacks me, killing him, why should I
risk being condemned?"
He was recently named army ground operation forces chief of
staff after being sacked as head of the military geographical
institute in August after the release of the book.
The Italian army has denied this is a promotion.
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