Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè
reported to the Senate on Wednesday to respond to allegations
regarding her business activities that have led opposition
parties to call on her to quit.
She said she was not under criminal investigation and had been
the victim of "dirty, disgusting practices" by the media.
She specified that she had not received notification of a probe,
adding that she had also had her lawyers check with prosecutors
to make sure that she was not under investigation.
"(A campaign) of manipulation for political ends is ongoing
against me," said the minister, a member of Premier Giorgia
Meloni's right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party.
"I am here to defend my honour and that of my son.
"I am here out of respect for this place and the citizens that
we represent".
According to Rai investigative journalism show Report,
businesses linked to Santanch allegedly failed to pay suppliers
and allegedly dismissed workers without giving them redundancy
payments that were due to them.
Her business have also been accused of improperly receiving
COVID aid.
"I have never appropriated anything that does not belong to me,"
she said.
"I have never abused my senior company positions.
"I dare anyone to show the opposite.
"I have been in business since I was 25.
"I started out from Cuneo. With the strength of my work, and
counting only on myself, I achieved major business successes.
"I am proud to have given lots of people jobs.
"I invested in advertising, in entertainment and then
publishing.
"I was able to write pages of success".
She said she had used her own person wealth to save some of the
companies at the centre of the allegations, adding she would
have expected praise instead of flak.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
