“Dear fellow citizens, I had to take a few days off work. Let me explain why." Thus begins the long post on Facebook through which the mayor of Milan announced his return to activity, after a few days of self-suspension to clarify his position regarding a line of investigation into the Expo which sees him involved again, after a first storage request.
Sala, who received a notice of supplementary investigation into the tender for the "plate" from the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office, explained his return to Palazzo Marino as follows, also welcomed by Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni: "Last Thursday evening I learned from numerous journalistic sources, first in a confused and then in a clearer form, that he was entered in the register of suspects by the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office, which deemed it necessary to further investigate facts already the subject of years of investigations by the Public Prosecutor's Office and for which a filing request had already been formulated. Facts concerning the most important tender of Expo 2015, that of the so-called "Piastra". No official communication had been made to me in this regard, no guarantee notice had been notified to me, I had no information regarding the accusatory hypotheses ".
“Faced with this situation – continued the mayor of Milan -, I could have limited myself to a “normal” and perhaps even a little obvious response of “trust in the work of the judiciary”. But I don't think things always have to be resolved this way. I have faith in the judiciary, of course. But I can't deny my amazement at hearing the news from the press. You will tell me, it is certainly not the first time. True, nevertheless we must all together make an effort not to consider the thing "normal". It is not if it concerns a citizen and it is not if it concerns the Mayor of Milan, with the responsibilities he bears towards the community".
“I chose a different, non-ritual path. I have decided to suspend myself because one point cannot be compromised: a professional, a businessman and, especially, a public administrator have moral integrity as the irreplaceable element of their credibility. It affects personal dignity and the concrete possibility of acting in the exclusive interest of the citizens. I have no reason to argue with the judiciary, whose work I respect, so essential to the functioning of a democratic system. Nor do I have any reason to complain about the investigations concerning Expo 2015: the effort of transparency that has been made has helped the international credibility of the event. I know that I have always acted in the sole interest of bringing Expo 2015 to success, with all the works ready on the opening day. As I know perfectly well that I have never enjoyed anything other than my regular salary and that I have never used my powers to favor anyone. The checks carried out by my lawyers in these intense days have sufficiently clarified the merits of the investigation and the non-existence of other charges".
“I'm going back to being Mayor – concluded Sala -, certain of my innocence towards an accusation that does not constitute a conditioning of my activity. I appreciated the availability of the Attorney General. I would also like to thank the approximately 400 mayors who signed the appeal in recent days: it is not only a demonstration of esteem and closeness towards me, but also a lucid exposition of the conditions necessary for an administrator to carry out his duties well task for the citizens. But above all I would like to say thanks to the many citizens of Milan (and beyond) who have shown that they understand my gesture, grasping its meaning and significance. Milan has a duty to lead the recovery of our country also through the confirmation of an administrative model that places transparency and legality at the center of its work.
