The Italian culture minister who was embroiled in allegations of an affair with an influencer has finally admitted to the affair and resigned from his post.
According to the BBC and other sources on the 7th (local time), Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano (62) sent a letter to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni the previous day, expressing his intention to resign from his post.
“After painful days, I have decided to resign from my post as Minister of Culture,” Sangiuliano said. “This decision is irreversible.”
The suspicion of Minister Sangiuliano’s affair began with a post made by Maria Rosaria Bozza (41) on her Instagram on the 26th of last month.
At the time, Bocha posted a photo of herself and Minister Sangiuliano looking affectionate and wrote, “I am grateful to Minister Sangiuliano for appointing me as an advisor for major events.” From then on, various rumors about their relationship began to spread.
Minister Sangiuliano’s side denied the allegations, saying, “I never appointed Bozza as the minister’s advisor,” and “there is no friendship between Bozza and Minister Sangiuliano.”
However, the controversy grew when it was revealed that Minister Sangiuliano accompanied Bozza to Pompei, where he was visiting to prepare for the G7 culture ministers’ meeting to be held for three days starting on the 19th. The political world was turned upside down as suspicions of misuse of public funds and leaks of confidential information were raised.
Prime Minister Meloni and Minister Sangiuliano denied all allegations on the 2nd, but on the same day, Bozza claimed in an interview with local media that he had been appointed as an advisor to the Minister of Culture and had attended several operational meetings for the G7 Culture Ministers’ Meeting.
It was also said that all the expenses necessary for this process were covered by the Ministry of Culture. Bocha posted on his Instagram not only photos of himself on a plane with Minister Sangiuliano at various government events, but also documents that appeared to be confidential.
The opposition party demanded the resignation of Minister Sangiuliano, claiming that he failed to distinguish between public and private affairs, spent taxpayers’ money on private businesses, and leaked confidential information, putting the G7 culture ministers’ meeting in jeopardy.
The main opposition Democratic Party (PD) attacked, saying, “The Prime Minister’s remarks were denied in real time through a document posted by Bocha on social media (SNS),” and “Did Minister Sangiuliano lie to the Prime Minister to claim his innocence?”
Minister Sangiuliano eventually admitted to having had an affair with Bocha in an interview with public broadcaster Rai’s TG1 channel on the 5th.
“The first person I must apologize to is my wife, a special person,” Sangiuliano said. “I apologize to Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni, who trusted me, for embarrassing him and his government.”
The two became friends at an event held in Naples last May, and their relationship developed into a romantic one between late July and early August.
However, Minister Sangiuliano claimed that he did consider appointing Boccia as an advisor, but did not appoint him due to concerns about a conflict of interest. He also refuted the suspicion that he used public funds by showing a statement of deposits and withdrawals and saying, “I paid Boccia’s travel expenses myself.”
He also said, “I didn’t spend even a single euro or a single cup of coffee on Bocha from the Ministry of Culture.” Regarding Bocha’s use of a ministerial vehicle with a police escort, he said, “He always rode with me, never alone.”
On this day, Bocha also responded by posting on his SNS a screenshot of an email from the minister’s secretary containing a plane ticket and a recording of a phone call with a Ministry of Culture official who said, “I have been appointed as the minister’s advisor for a major event.”
The scandal, which made headlines in the Italian press, led to the resignation of Minister Sangiuliano. This is the first change of minister since the Meloni government took office in October 2022. The Court of Audit has currently launched an investigation into allegations that Minister Sangiuliano misused public funds.
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2024-09-07 16:40:22