MILAN, Italy – Nicole Minetti, the glamorous former aide to Silvio Berlusconi and a central figure in Italy’s notorious “bunga bunga” scandal, has bounced back into a new political controversy that is gripping the nation.
She has returned to the centre of Italy’s political debate after a presidential pardon granted to her earlier this year has exploded into the headlines to become a major judicial and political headache for Giorgia Meloni’s government.
Italian magistrates are now re-examining whether the humanitarian grounds behind Minetti’s clemency request were accurately presented, following reporting that raised doubts about key elements of her case.
The revelations prompted Sergio Mattarella, the Italian President, who signed off on the pardon in February, to take the unusual step of publicly asking the justice ministry to re-verify the file.
“The President has instructed that the necessary information be obtained as a matter of urgency in order to verify the accuracy of what has been reported by the press,” Mattarella’s office wrote in a letter to the ministry of justice.
Minetti’s case is rooted in the scandal that defined Berlusconi’s final years in power.
In the so-called “bunga bunga” case – a term that became shorthand for the former prime minister’s private parties – courts found that she helped recruit women for events where guests were paid to attend and, in some cases, provide sexual services.
She was ultimately sentenced to two years and 10 months for procuring prostitution, followed by a further 13 months for misuse of public funds.
The pardon rested on the need to care for an adopted child in Uruguay described as seriously ill and requiring constant assistance abroad, a claim now at the centre of the investigation.
Reports have indeed suggested that the child, a boy, may not have been an orphan, with indications that his biological parents were still alive and had opposed the adoption. Hospitals cited in the request reportedly have no record of treating the child, while Uruguayan media have pointed to possible irregularities in how the adoption was handled.
The adoption itself is under scrutiny, with Uruguayan media pointing to possible irregularities in how the procedure was handled.
More broadly, the case is exposing gaps in the verification process. Key elements appear to have been assessed largely on documentation provided by Minetti’s legal team, without direct checks with Uruguayan authorities, with new checks now being carried out by Milan prosecutors through international cooperation channels.
Minetti has denied any wrongdoing, saying the information submitted in her request was accurate and calling the claims against her “unfounded”.
The case puts the justice ministry back under pressure just weeks after the resignation of an undersecretary and the chief of staff.
“We have documents showing that we complied with all procedures at 101%,” said Carlo Nordio, the justice minister, on Monday.
Opposition parties have called for Nordio’s resignation while Meloni has stood by her justice minister.
“This procedure followed the same path as all others and was carried out in full compliance with the law and established practice,” she said on Wednesday during a press conference, insisting she trusts Nordio and ruling out any resignation.
(bw)
Source:
www.euractiv.com