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Italian PM Draghi cancels Africa trip after positive Covid test

The Italian premier has tested positive for coronavirus but is currently asymptomatic, his office said on Monday.

Published: 18 April 2022 14:21 CEST
Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi has tested positive for Covid-19 but is asymptomatic, his office said on Monday.
Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi has tested positive for Covid-19 but is asymptomatic, his office said on Monday. Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP.

Draghi had been due to visit oil-rich Angola and the Republic of Congo this week with a view to switching Italy’s energy supplies away from Russia.

That trip has now been cancelled as a result of the prime minister’s Covid-positive status, his office confirmed. 

Instead, Italy’s Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio and Minister for Ecological Transition will represent the country in diplomatic talks with the African nations.

READ ALSO: ‘Peace or air conditioning?’ Italy vows to follow EU on Russian gas embargo

The pair will fly to Luanda on Wednesday and Brazzaville on Thursday to conduct negotiations on Italy’s behalf. 

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POLITICS

Italian minister indicted for Covid-era fraud

Prosecutors on Friday charged Italy's tourism minister with fraud relating to government redundancy funds claimed by her publishing companies during the coronavirus pandemic.

Published: 4 May 2024 09:19 CEST
Italian minister indicted for Covid-era fraud

Opposition lawmakers immediately requested the resignation of Daniela Santanche, a leading member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party.

Santanche, 63, has strongly rejected the allegations, including in a defiant appearance in parliament last year.

“The Milan prosecutor’s office today requested the indictment of the Minister Santanche and other persons as well as the companies Visibilia Editore and Visibilia Concessionaria,” the office said in a brief statement.

They were indicted “for alleged fraud of the INPS (National Institute for Social Security) in relation to alleged irregularities in the use of the Covid 19 redundancy fund, for a total of 13 employees”.

According to media reports, Visibilia is accused of obtaining state funds intended to help companies struggling with the pandemic to temporarily lay off staff — when in fact the 13 employees continued to work.

Santanche sold her stake in Visibilia when she joined the government of Meloni, who took office in October 2022.

The investigation has been going on for months, but with the decision by prosecutors to indict, opposition parties said Santanche should resign.

“We expect the prime minister to have a minimum of respect for the institutions and ask for Daniela Santanche’s resignation,” said Elly Schlein, leader of the centre-left Democratic Party.

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