Roberto Speranza defends COVID-19 management during parliamentary hearing

Former Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza testified before the parliamentary COVID-19 inquiry commission on Friday, November 6, defending his administration’s actions during the pandemic. Speranza stated, “We have a clear conscience. We hold our heads high,” regarding the work performed for the country.

During the heated session, Speranza argued that Italy acted proactively, noting that the WHO and ECDC had not yet confirmed human-to-human transmission in early January 2020. He emphasized that Italy was the first country to declare a state of emergency in late January.

The hearing was marked by significant tension and temporary suspension. Members of the Fratelli d’Italia party, including Galeazzo Bignami and Alice Buonguerrieri, accused the former minister of a lack of transparency. They contested the submission of specific scientific studies requested by the commission, alleging that the documents provided were not the ones previously agreed upon. Bignami further accused the former administration of withholding information, drawing parallels to previous controversies regarding the Technical Scientific Committee (CTS) minutes.

Speranza responded to these accusations by asserting that the scientific studies he referenced, including research on lockdown effects and vaccination efficacy, are public documents available for consultation.