The Florence public prosecutor has asked for the indictment of Matteo Renzi and 10 other suspects for the investigation into the alleged irregularities in the financing of Open, the foundation created to support the political initiatives of the former prime minister. The preliminary hearing will be held on April 4th.
Asked for the trial, among others, also for Maria Elena Boschi, Luca Lotti, the former president of Open Alberto Bianchi and the entrepreneur Marco Carrai. Four companies are also involved in the investigation.
The crimes alleged for various reasons are illegal party financing, influence trafficking, corruption, issuing invoices for non-existent transactions and self-laundering.
Renzi, considered by the investigators to be the de facto director of the former foundation, is accused of illegal financing of parties in competition with the former president of Open, lawyer Alberto Bianchi, with the members of the board of directors, Marco Carrai, Luca Lotti and Maria Elena Boschi and with the entrepreneur Patrizio Donnini.
Luca Lotti, Alberto Bianchi, Patrizio Donnini will also have to defend themselves against corruption charges together with the builder Alfonso Toto.
THE REPLY - The former premier defends himself and counterattacks the magistrates. Renzi today filed a criminal complaint against Creazzo, Turco and Nastasi, the prosecutors who conducted the investigation.
The leader of Italia Viva "asked to be heard by the Genoese prosecutors reserving the right to produce material to corroborate the criminal complaint against Creazzo, Turco, Nastasi", reads a note from Matteo Renzi's press office.
“Finally the trial begins in the classrooms and not just in the media. And citizens will now be able to realize how fragile the accusation is and how scandalous are the methods used by the Florence prosecutor's office ”, declared Renzi.
Then recalling that the request “was signed by the Prosecutor Creazzo, sanctioned for sexual harassment by the CSM; by the Turkish Deputy Prosecutor, who wanted my parents' arrest then canceled by the Freedom Court; and by the Prosecutor Nastasi, accused by a Carabinieri officer of having polluted the crime scene in the context of the death of the MPS executive David Rossi ”.
"I have not committed any crimes, I hope that the Florentine magistrates can say the same in conscience", said the former prime minister.
(Unioneonline / L)
