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."
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