«The activity as a lecturer of the Undersecretary of Culture Vittorio Sgarbi, as well as the presentation of books, exhibitions and cultural initiatives of private or public bodies, has never been in “conflict of interest” with his institutional tasks, which are those – it is worth repeating – of the protection and conservation of cultural heritage”.
Giampaolo Cicconi, lawyer of the Undersecretary of Culture, Vittorio Sgarbi, claims this in a note, replying to the article in «Fatto Quotidiano» entitled «Sgarbi is in government and collecting golden cachet: the law prohibits it» and announcing legal initiatives. The article specifies that Sgarbi has earned “at least 300 thousand euros, just from February to today” for conferences, speeches and television appearances. The money – we read again – “is for Undersecretary Sgarbi, but it is also given to his head of secretariat and his partner, and they are all happy”. «And what happened – the newspaper asks – to the law that for twenty years has required holders of political offices to dedicate themselves exclusively to the “care of public interests” by prohibiting “professional activities in matters related to government office? Good for him , only that since 31 October 2022 Sgarbi has been paid by Italian taxpayers to carry out his role as undersecretary”.
Il Fatto adds that, «according to the documents he has seen, a real industry based on the art of procuring activities that are also carried out in broad daylight revolves around the critic-politician and his trusted collaborators, but whose remunerations remain in the shadows, sometimes paid to others, often passed off as “missions” and then reimbursed by the ministry”.
Cicconi specifies that «it is not at all clear where the conflict of interest lies between the role of undersecretary and the presentation of an exhibition on Andy Warhol (paid for by private individuals), a Lectio magistralis on Caravaggio (paid for by private individuals), participation in a exhibition of contemporary artists (also paid for by private individuals) or a theater show on Michelangelo (paid for by a municipality)”. «It is wonderful to think – he continues – that there is incompatibility between the role of undersecretary and that of president of the Miss Italia jury. It’s a joke? Or is it inappropriate for prostate reasons?
«No reimbursement has ever been requested by the undersecretary, nor by the collaborators of his Office for initiatives of a “non-institutional” nature, something easily verifiable from the documents at the ministry – the lawyer further underlines -. But Il Fatto Quotidiano, instead of providing, as imposes the code of ethics of journalists, to a scrupulous verification of what was submitted to him by unknown (we believe for a short time) “crows”, he preferred to amplify what is a slander, for which we announce from now on that we will take action civil against the director, the author of the article articles and the publisher”.
«The activity as a lecturer of the Undersecretary of Culture Vittorio Sgarbi, as well as the presentation of books, exhibitions and cultural initiatives of private or public bodies, has never been in “conflict of interest” with his institutional tasks, which are those – it is worth repeating – of the protection and conservation of cultural heritage”.
Il Fatto adds that, «according to the documents he has seen, a real industry based on the art of procuring activities that are also carried out in broad daylight revolves around the critic-politician and his trusted collaborators, but whose remunerations remain in the shadows, sometimes paid to others, often passed off as ‘missions’ and then reimbursed by the ministry”. Cicconi specifies that «it is not at all clear where the conflict of interest lies and that Fatto Quotidiano, instead of providing, as required by the code of ethics of journalists, scrupulously checking what was submitted to it by unknown persons (we still believe little) “crows”, preferred to amplify what is a slander, for which we are now announcing that we will take civil action against the director, the author of the article and the publisher».