"The Undersecretary of State for Culture, Vittorio Sgarbi, has carried out professional activities as an art critic, in matters connected with the government office, as specified in the motivation, in favor of public and private entities", in violation of the Law Frattini on conflict of interest.
This is what we read in the text of the Antitrust provision - anticipated by Corriere.it - following which Sgarbi submitted his resignation as undersecretary.
For further information Agenzia ANSA Sgarbi: 'I resign with immediate effect as undersecretary.
Sangiuliano, a man without dignity' - News - Ansa.it 'In the next few hours I will communicate this to the prime minister' said the undersecretary.
'I received a letter from the Antitrust that based on two anonymous letters I cannot hold a conference at Porro'.
'I will certainly appeal to the TAR against the Antitrust' he announces.
Insults to the press?
'I don't have to apologize to anyone' (ANSA)
The Antitrust specifies that the element of occasionality of the activities carried out by Sgarbi, highlighted in the defense briefs, is "completely incompatible with the creation and maintenance of a stable organization of people and means whose sole purpose is to organise, manage and carry out Prof. Sgarbi's interventions for a fee".
The Authority cites in particular the role in the organization of Sgarbi's participation in events deemed incompatible with the government position of the two companies Ars and Hestia, "also from the point of view of the management of financial relations" with Sgarbi, recalling that he is a shareholder and sole director of Ars is Antonino Ippolito, Sgarbi's historic collaborator and current head of secretariat at the Ministry, while Hestia's partner and sole director is Sabrina Colle, Sgarbi's partner.
"The principle of exclusive dedication to the care of public interests - we read again in the text - cannot, in fact, be emptied of content through an indefinite sum of activities which, even where considered individually permitted, as a whole lack the requirements of the 'occasionality and temporariness, leading to a significant subtraction of time and intellectual resources from the pursuit of the interests underlying the office of government".
"With regard to the activities of offering editorial products to the public carried out through the website www.vittoriosgarbi.it" - finally - the Antitrust has ordered "the closure of the preliminary investigation procedure due to the cessation of the incompatibility situation".
"It must be noted - writes the Authority - that, as declared by the Party and verified by the Authority during the investigation, the sales activity in question is no longer in existence and the relevant section of the site is no longer online.
Therefore, it must be considered that the conduct in question has ceased."
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