Corruption investigation, Sicily’s deputy governor Sammartino resigns

PALERMO (ITALPRESS) – The vice president of the Sicilian Region, Luca Sammartino, involved in the Pandora operation which led to the issuing of 11 precautionary measures carried out by the Carabinieri between the provinces of Catania and Palermo against politicians, has resigned. municipal officials and entrepreneurs. Suspended from public office for a year, his powers will be assumed by governor Schifani, according to what leaks from Palazzo d’Orleans. “I wrote a note to the President of the Region, Renato Schifani, to resign the role of Regional Councilor and Vice President of the Region after having been subjected to a precautionary disqualification measure in relation to a hypothesis of crime far back in time – declares the exponent politician – I thank the President for the trust he has shown in me and for the work done so far. I would like to underline that I am not involved in any hypothesis of mafia crime or vote swapping; to the facts, dating back to five years ago, which I read with amazement are disputed.

I remain confident, as I have always declared and will never change my mind, towards the work of the judiciary. I will continue to serve my community and my territory by carrying out my political activity and as a regional parliamentarian”. Sammartino, 39 years old, who is also regional councilor for Agriculture and leader of the League in Sicily, is under investigation for aggravated corruption. The facts date back to the period in which he was a regional deputy. The investigation, coordinated by the District Attorney’s Office and conducted by the Investigative Unit of the Carabinieri of Catania, covers a period of time ranging from 2018 and 2021. The investigators also put the spotlight on the election in 2015. of the current mayor of Tremestieri Etneo, Santi Rando, who ended up in prison for political-mafia electoral exchange and aggravated corruption. The investigation also revealed “as part of a strategy of the municipal leaders aimed at neutralizing any form of political opposition. , the corrupt agreement with the historic opposition councilor Mario Ronsisvalle, which then passed through Rando’s supporters for the 2021 local elections”, underline the investigators. In particular Ronsisvalle (who ended up under house arrest for incitement to corruption), owner of a pharmacy in Tremestieri, “also thanks to the intervention of Luca Sammartino (recipient of the suspension for 1 year from public offices for aggravated corruption), main political contact of the first citizen, at the time of the facts regional deputy and current vice-president of the Region”, would have been advantaged, again according to the investigators, “through the reduction of the number of pharmacies present in the municipal organic plan, promising in exchange electoral support for the European elections of 2019, to the candidate supported by Sammartino”. – Ipa photo – (ITALPRESS). vbo/c/r 17-Apr-24 14:07 .