Giuseppe Conte denies Covid procurement accusations amid parliamentary clash

Former prime minister Giuseppe Conte told Repubblica he never handled contracts for masks or respirators during the Covid emergency and criticised the government for a "dirty game" targeting him and the Five Star Movement. He reiterated his willingness to be heard by the Covid Commission but said no hearing date has been set. Conte accused Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party, Fratelli d'Italia, of launching a defamation campaign and called the accusations politically motivated.

Fratelli d'Italia and other opposition members, including the League, have pressed for Conte’s appearance before the parliamentary Covid inquiry, alleging obstruction and demanding clarification of procurement procedures. The party also submitted a parliamentary question to Justice Minister Carlo Nordio, asking him to investigate possible interference by the Democratic Party in the judicial process linked to the pandemic plan. Families of Covid victims have expressed gratitude to Fratelli d'Italia for raising the issue, urging respect for judicial independence.

The controversy centres on a €1.25 billion contract for Chinese-made masks and other supplies, alleged procedural lapses, and payments to consultants linked to former health commissioner Domenico Arcuri. No court rulings have yet implicated Conte, and he maintains that any alleged wrongdoing never reached him directly.