Conte defends pandemic response before Italian parliamentary inquiry

Former Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte defended his administration's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic during an extensive hearing before a parliamentary inquiry commission in Rome.

The Five Star Movement leader addressed questions regarding emergency decrees, procurement, and public health restrictions, maintaining that his cabinet operated strictly within the law. During the session, Conte stated that he handed Rome prosecutors an anonymous dossier concerning a 100-million-euro mask transaction with supplier JC Electronics, calling for an investigation into potential counterfeit supplies.

Conte rejected criticism from the parliamentary majority, warning against using the commission as a partisan tribunal while defending Italy's early pandemic response model against accusations of administrative overreach.

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