The opposition parties are demanding clarification on reports that the influencer was involved in an email exchange that contained confidential information about the organization of the G7 culture ministers’ meeting in Pompeii from September 19 to 21.
On Monday, Maria Rosaria Boccia posted on Instagram her thanks to Culture Minister Sangiuliano “for appointing her as advisor for major events.” However, the Culture Ministry denies that the woman is an advisor to the minister.
“Is the G7 cultural meeting still safe?” asked Irene Manzi, head of the delegation of the opposition social democratic Democratic Party (PD) in the Culture Committee of the Chamber of Deputies. The equally opposition party Italia Viva (IV) announced that it wanted to submit a motion of no confidence against Sangiuliano in parliament.
“This is a very serious situation”
The opposition parties also called on the Foreign and Interior Ministries to investigate the matter. “This is a very serious situation that reveals serious organizational deficiencies about which we demand clarity. Sangiuliano must explain all facets of this opaque affair surrounding the appointment of an adviser who was never officially appointed and who was allowed to participate in internal meetings of the ministry and in inspections (…) regarding the security and organization of the G7 meeting,” criticized Manzi.
The influencer contradicted Sangiuliano’s claim on Instagram that she never attended any operational meetings of the G7 culture ministers’ meeting in Pompeii. She also published the tickets for flights that were allegedly paid for by the Ministry of Culture as part of her consulting work.
“Potential conflict of interest situation”
In an interview with the daily newspaper “La Stampa” (Tuesday edition), Sangiuliano explained that he had initiated Boccia’s appointment. However, due to a “potential conflict of interest situation” that he did not explain in detail, he then decided not to appoint Boccia; he also officially informed her of this.
Prime Minister Meloni backed her minister. “The affair will not affect the security of the G7 meeting. The Minister of Culture assured me that Boccia had no access to confidential documents, especially those relating to the G7 cultural summit. Above all, Sangiuliano assured me that not a single euro of public money was spent on this person. These are the things that interest me in relation to government work, I leave the gossip to others. I do not wish to comment further on this,” stressed Meloni.
The dispute over the influencer is another heavy blow to the image of Sangiuliano, a minister from the ranks of Meloni’s party, the Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d’Italia/FdI). In April, he embarrassed himself with a statement about the sailor and discoverer of America, Christopher Columbus. At a cultural event in Taormina, Sicily, the minister claimed that “Columbus wanted to circumnavigate the earth to get to India based on the theories of Galileo Galilei.” However, the polymath was not born in Pisa until 1564, while Columbus began his first voyage to America in August 1492.
The culture minister had already drawn criticism in April when he made a faux pas at the presentation of a new archaeological trail in the centre of Rome. He claimed that Times Square was in London – and not New York. In a statement, he later attributed the error to the emotions of the moment. At the same time, the politician expressed his intention to be more cautious with his statements in the future.
