ROME – The governor of Lombardy, the region of Italy hardest hit by the pandemic, said Saturday that he is being investigated by Milan prosecutors for a lucrative contract to unload protective medical robes from his brother-in-law’s company.
According to reports, the contract for 75,000 dresses was awarded without public tender in April, when the coronavirus epidemic devastated Italy, Italian media reported.
Governor Attilio Fontana said in a Facebook post about the investigation representing the region “responsibly” and that he was confident about the accuracy of Lombardy’s actions.
Following a television report from the Italian investigation into the agreement, Fontana stated last month that he knew nothing about the contract, which is estimated at more than one million euros (more than $600,000).
Fontana’s wife has a minor stake in the company, according to the Italian media.
The governor is a prominent figure in Matteo Salvini’s right-wing opposition party, the League, which denounces corruption among public officials. In a tweet on Saturday, Salvini called the investigation “a one-way bad justice.” Lombardy is a bastion of the League.
Meanwhile, some politicians from the centre-left parties asked for Fontana’s resignation on Saturday.
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