Incitement to hatred, Vannacci investigated for book. The general: 'Opinion is not fought with court or censorship'

Not only the alleged 'crazy expenses' when he was Italian military attaché in Moscow: for General Roberto Vannacci, new judicial problems seem to be looming in connection with the book that made him famous, 'Il mondo al contrario'. The Rome Public Prosecutor's Office has in fact entered him in the register of those under investigation for the charge of incitement to racial hatred. The proceedings were initiated in light of complaints filed in recent months by some associations. "I wrote a book in which I expressed opinions: perhaps for some people they are criticisable, but they remain so. I believe that in 2023 opinions are fought on the level of arguments and not with censorship or in the courts,' was the general's reply.

Under the investigators' lens ended up a series of statements in the book that was self-published and became, in fact, a case, with 200,000 copies sold. A publishing success that led Vannacci to print a new literary effort. In particular, one of the complaints was brought to the attention of the prosecutors by an association assisted by the lawyer, Massimiliano Strampelli. The subject of the complaint was some passages in the book and in particular those in which Vannacci defines "not normal" homosexuals or when he cites an episode in Paris in which he refers to black people. "The only incitement made is to reflection and reading. No incitement to hatred', comments Giorgio Carta, the soldier's lawyer, who ironically adds: 'Even Galileo Galilei was tried for his ideas but 300 years later he was 'acquitted'. Let's hope, for the sake of personal data, that this matter will be resolved sooner'. For the other lawyer defending him, lawyer Massimiliano Manzo, Vannacci 'never in the book claims that one race is superior to another, but simply limits himself to criticising an excessive extreme multiculturalism that, as we have seen, can sometimes cause even very serious problems'.

In any case, this is yet another tile for the general after the proceedings initiated by the ordinary judiciary, in which the crime of fraud is being contested, on expenses in Moscow, which runs parallel to the one initiated by the Military Prosecutor's Office. Files opened after an inspection carried out by the Defence General Staff. An activity that could also end up before the judges of the Court of Auditors. According to what has been learnt, the crime report was sent to Piazzale Clodio more than twenty days ago.

The investigation concerns service allowances for family members received illicitly (because his wife and daughters would not have been in Moscow during the period in question), an expense of 9,000 euro related to the service car that would not have been authorised, and reimbursements for the organisation of events and dinners that would not have taken place. The period examined by the ministerial inspectors was between February 2021 and May 2022. Then Vannacci was expelled from the Kremlin along with 23 other Italian diplomats and military experts, in response to a similar move by the Draghi government after the invasion of Ukraine. The inspectors' checks also took into account a number of reports made by the colonel who, as of 2023, holds the role that was Vannacci's in the Defence headquarters in Moscow. The senior officer reported a number of 'anomalies and critical issues in the administrative management of his predecessor'.

This investigation, which, like the new file on incitement to racial hatred, does not, however, seem to represent a hindrance to his candidacy for the next European elections in the ranks of the Lega . The Carroccio, which had already defended the general two days ago, squared off and did not mince its words, speaking of 'investigations that are medals'. And again: 'Old methods of the old system. Forward General, forward together, forward Italy!".