LESS THAN two months after taking office, the seemingly ultra-respectable, squeaky clean, technocratic Italian government of prime minister Mario Monti has run into its first major scandal as the cabinet undersecretary has been forced to resign.
Carlo Malinconico resigned yesterday in the wake of media reports of his alleged links to controversial figures, businessman Francesco De Vito Piscicelli and ex-public works commission head Angelo Balducci.
Both men are involved in an investigation into allegations of public contract impropriety in connection with the 2009 G8 summit in La Maddalena, Sardinia (later moved to L’Aquila), the 2009 World Swimming Championships and last year’s 150th anniversary celebrations of the unity of Italy.
Media reports allege that Mr Piscicelli paid €19,000 hotel bills for Mr Malinconico’s weekend stays in 2007 and 2008 at the five-star Il Pellicano in Porto Ercole, one of Italy’s most exclusive holiday destinations on the Tuscan coast. In a statement on Monday, Mr Malinconico said he had asked Mr Balducci, an acquaintance, to help him find rooms at the Il Pellicano hotel during high season.
He also claimed that when he went to pay his bill, he discovered that it had already been paid. It was only much later, he said, that he learned that the bill had been paid by Mr Piscicelli, acting on behalf of Mr Balducci.
Furthermore, Mr Malinconico, who at the time was secretary general to the centre-left government of Romano Prodi, claimed that he did no favours for either Mr Balducci or Mr Piscicelli.
Given that Mr Monti’s government has thus far distinguished itself by a policy of transparency and fiscal rectitude, imposing tough austerity measures to rescue Italy from financial disaster, it came as no surprise that the prime minister immediately accepted Mr Malinconico’s resignation.
Mr Monti did, however, thank the minister for his “sense of responsibility in putting the public interest before any other consideration”.