The prime minister admits there was “nervousness” within the party over Spano's appointment. And the former Minister of Culture loses his temper: “It’s an internal settling of scores on the right”
Francesco Spano resigned. The chief of staff of the new Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli, did not even last 10 days. The episode previews were enough Reports on the air Sunday evening to blast the confidant Giuli had wanted by his side, even against the advice of a relevant article in Fratelli d'Italia. What is in this journalistic investigation? Burning revelations about a conflict of interest surrounding the figure of Marco Carnabuci, a lawyer appointed as consultant to Maxxi and responsible for data during the period when Spano was secretary general of the Museum. The problem is that the two were in a romantic relationship and got married in recent months. Furthermore, according to Report, in 2017 Spano went to work for the Human Foundation headed by Giovanna Melandri (who also chaired Maxxi), and the following year the Human Foundation also offered legal advice to the “regular” Carnabuci. However, in the following years, Maxxi always renewed its legal consultancy, even after the various changes at the top. A sign that probably, beyond all suspicion, his work was appreciated.
Meloni and “nervousness” in FdI on Spano
However, this was enough to make politics fibrillate again at the highest levels. Today, in the House, Minister Giuli appeared rather annoyed and tried to push the matter aside: “I am ready to answer other questions when the case arises,” he said at question time. However, Giorgia Meloni herself then intervened on the subject. Interviewed by Tommaso Cerno for the 80th anniversary of Timethe prime minister initially admitted that Spano's appointment had created “nervousness” within the Brothers of Italy (“I responded by saying: talk to the minister”). He then tried to minimize the importance of the affair which exploded in recent hours: “I did not speak to Giuli either during his appointment or during Spano's resignation,” he clarified. “I read in the agencies that there would be a conflict of interest between the head of the cabinet and another person going back to Maxxi, at the time of Giovanna Melandri. None were appointed by Alessandro Giuli, I think we should ask who was there before.” In short, Meloni tried to pass the ball back to the opposing court, considering that Melandri was director of the Democratic Party and Minister of Culture in the governments of Alema and Amato, before landing at the head of Maxxi and the Human Foundation.
The timing of the nomination and the poisons on the right
However, Melandri herself responded immediately, in a letter published on the website. Reports. The former minister rewinds the tape to tell another story. “Lawyer Marco Carnabuci was called by Maxxi in June 2018, even though Francesco Spano had nothing to do with the museum,” emphasizes Melandri. To then relaunch the accusations and suspicions within the right-wing government. “Giuli and Meloni should first look inside their own homes: Spano's appointment as head of the MIC cabinet was publicly and bitterly opposed by members of the right, including the most homophobic fringes. What is underway is a horrible settling of scores on the part of a homophobic right and yet another demonstration of this government's incapacity to manage cultural policies in Italy with rigor, transparency and coherence. »
A word from Giovanna Melandri
Here is the complete reconstruction of the story according to Melandri: “On May 3, 2018, the general secretary of Maxxi Pietro Barrera asked the director of Federculture (the employers' association with which the Maxxi Foundation is associated) for an indication of the names of experts to which he could entrust him with the task of Data Processing Manager (mandatory figure following a European regulation which would have come into force on May 25). Federculture suggested the name of Carnabuci, who was already organizing training seminars for them on these same subjects. The cards are available to those who have the seriousness and patience to read them. That's it. The personal affairs of Spano and Carnabuci concern only them and the contracts stipulated after the change of management of the Foundation in December 2022 concern only and exclusively President Alessandro Giuli. I only agree with Giuli on one thing: this “monstrification” is never beautiful. But Alessandro Giuli and Giorgia Meloni should first look inside their own homes: Spano's appointment as Mic's chief of staff was publicly and bitterly opposed by representatives of the right, including the most homophobic fringes. What is underway is a horrible settling of scores on the part of a homophobic right and yet another demonstration of this government's incapacity to manage cultural policies in Italy with rigor, transparency and coherence. »
