Milan prosecutors seek second trial for Italy tourism minister

Visibilia Editore SpA

04/07/2024 12:24

ROME, July 4 (Reuters) - Milan prosecutors on Thursday
requested a second trial of Italian Tourism Minister Daniela
Santanche, accusing her of false accounting at a publishing
group she used to own.
    The case could embarrass Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who
has so far defended the embattled minister and party colleague
against opposition calls for her resignation. 
    Going by the nickname "the pythoness", 63-year-old Santanche
is one of the most visible members of Meloni's right-wing
cabinet, known for her brash, outspoken style.
    Prosecutors said in a statement they want to try Santanche
and 16 others for falsification of financial statements at the
Visibilia publishing and advertising group during 2016-2022. 
    Visibilia Editore  VE.MI  and sister companies Visibilia
S.R.L, which is under liquidation, and Visibilia Editrice should
stand trial on the same charges, they added. 
    Press offices for Santanche and Visibilia did not respond to
requests for comment. The minister previously denied any
wrongdoing. 
    It will be up to a pre-trial judge to either accept the
prosecutors' request or dismiss the case. No date for the
hearing has yet been scheduled.
    Milan prosecutors requested a first trial against the
minister in May, over alleged benefit fraud at Visibilia during
the COVID pandemic. 
    A hearing over that first request has been set for Oct. 9.
    Santanche served as chair and CEO of Visibilia until
November 2021 and remained a major shareholder in 2022, when she
joined the government.

 (Reporting by Alvise Armellini
Editing by Peter Graff)
 ((alvise.armellini@thomsonreuters.com;))