The legal case between General Roberto Vannacci and the Italian volleyball player Paola Egonu, who sued him for defamation, is still open. The investigating judge of Lucca has reserved the right to decide whether or not to dismiss the complaint and is expected to rule in the next few days. Egonu had denounced the current MEP of the League, after he had written in his book «The world upside down»: «Even if Paola Egonu has Italian citizenship, it is evident that her somatic features do not represent her Italian nature». Egonu had reported Vannacci in Bergamo, with the case passed for territorial jurisdiction to Lucca, where Vannacci resides.
Vannacci’s “clarification” letter to Egonu
The prosecutor had asked for the case to be dismissed, but the volleyball player had opposed it. Vannacci, who has always denied the accusations, was also present in today’s hearing. Last May he had also written a letter to Egonu, in an attempt to give an “authentic interpretation of the words and expressions I used towards him”, the Northern League member had explained. Vannacci then explained that he had never had any doubts about the volleyball player’s Italian citizenship «and I am personally and continually proud that she represents our tricolor, with her sporting excellence. But this cannot visually hide her origins, of which I am convinced that she herself is proud.” In the courtroom in Lucca, the volleyball player was absent. And at the moment there seems to be no glimmer of agreement between the parties. Each remained on her position, despite an initial attempt at conciliation.
