Minetti case, Quirinale's letter to the Justice Ministry: OK for new checks. She defends herself: "Damaging news"

A letter from the Quirinale to the Justice Ministry asking for further verification after the pardon granted by Head of State Sergio Mattarella to Nicole Minetti. The announcement was made by the press office of the Colle, which, with regard to the decree of 18 February, recalls that it arrived 'on the favourable proposal' of the minister Carlo Nordio.

In particular, it is a request for verifications after the Fatto Quotidiano news on an 'alleged falsity of the elements represented in the clemency request'. Therefore, 'at the indication of Mr. President,' it reads, 'I would ask you to kindly and urgently acquire the necessary information to verify the validity of what has been represented by a press organ'.

From the Hill, in fact, they recall that the President of the Republic does not have autonomous investigative tools to ascertain the facts that are put forward and bases his decision on the documents that are submitted to him as well as on the assessments made in this regard by the judicial authority and the Minister of Justice.

The Quirinale's letter came in the wake of press reports from which it emerged that there were circumstances other than those represented to the President of the Republic with the request for pardon. In the case in question - it is noted - the Milan Attorney General and the Minister justified their opinion in favour of the pardon on the grounds that Minetti's probationary custody would have made it extremely difficult for her to care for and assist a minor, who is subject to periodic visits and specialised therapies abroad due to a serious illness. Quirinale sources, in this regard, fnoted that the request was addressed to the Ministry of Justice, which is exclusively competent to carry out the investigative activity regarding pardon applications, as affirmed by the Constitutional Court (sentence 200 of 2006).

The Ministry of Justice, in the first instance, let it be known that 'none of the negative elements presented in recent press articles are on file in the proceedings'. "The request for an act of clemency proposed by the interested party to the Presidency of the Republic," the note reads, "was followed by the usual preliminary investigation, as a result of which the Attorney General of Milan expressed a favourable opinion. This was followed - in the absence of elements of negative connotation against Minetti - by a similar opinion from the competent directorate of the Ministry of Justice and the consequent favourable opinion, expressed by the Minister and transmitted to the Presidency. The Ministry has represented to the General Prosecutor's Office at the Court of Appeal of Milan, in accordance with its requests today, the need to acquire any information and element useful to allow the appropriate assessment of the news appeared in the press".