The investigating judge in Perugia has officially closed the investigation into abuse of office against Donatella Tesei, the President of the Umbria region, who is set to run for election again. This decision also clears Paola Agabiti, the regional councilor responsible for European programming, budget, and tourism, of allegations linked to the use of European funds for rural development. Tesei is gearing up for the regional elections scheduled for November 17-18, 2024. However, she expressed disappointment over the timing of the announcement, stating, “I only learned about the news today, and only because it was reported by the media. The investigation had been ongoing for some time, which demonstrates once again the integrity of my administration. In the meantime, as I await to review the official documents, I observe the usual instrumentalization and distortion of facts, amplified by the approaching election deadline.”
Nicola di Mario, the attorney for Agabiti, stated that the investigation revealed “no abuse of office during the period when the penal statute was in effect prior to the repeal of the offense.” He emphasized that all measures taken were general programming actions aimed at the regional economy, rather than benefiting specific individuals. Di Mario explained, “Claiming that sectors such as olive oil, hops, and truffles are relevant to the regional economy is part of general programming. The two resolutions involved no allocation of funds to anyone.”
While the legal troubles surrounding Giovanni Toti prevented his candidacy for the center-right in Liguria, Tesei’s case has not hindered her electoral aspirations. Despite Toti’s conviction, the center-right still emerged victorious in the Ligurian regional elections with Marco Bucci as their presidential candidate. The repeal of abuse of office as a criminal offense is already part of the justice reform proposed by Minister Carlo Nordio, which has drawn criticism from the left. Former Public Administration Minister Franco Bassanini commented in an interview with Il Foglio that the Democratic Party should remember that for over thirty years, mayors and left-wing administrators have advocated for the abolition of abuse of office, asserting that this is fundamentally a leftist issue.
