Conte defends Covid response and submits mask dossier during inquiry hearing

Former Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte has defended his administration's pandemic response during a multi-hour hearing before a parliamentary inquiry commission in Rome.

Conte, who temporarily stepped down from the panel to testify as a witness, rejected allegations of impropriety regarding emergency decrees, healthcare procurement, and containment strategies. Warning lawmakers against turning the inquiry into a political tribunal, the Five Star Movement leader maintained that his cabinet acted lawfully throughout the health emergency.

During his testimony, Conte revealed he had submitted an anonymous dossier to Rome prosecutors concerning a 100-million-euro contract with JC Electronics involving potentially counterfeit protective masks. He urged judicial authorities to thoroughly investigate the procurement transaction while inviting the commission to scrutinise his own conduct, asserting he committed no unlawful acts.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, La Repubblica.