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Fico's Boat Sparks Controversy at Naples Military Base
The former president of Italy's Chamber of Deputies, Roberto Fico, is under increasing scrutiny regarding a 10-metre boat docked at a military base, just before regional elections in Campania, where he plans to campaign for the presidency.
Fico, a well-known figure within the broad-based Five Star Movement party, has cultivated his reputation through anti-establishment and anti-privilege rhetoric, and according to ship registration documents released by Brothers of Italy senator Antonio Iannone, he owns a boat named Paprika.
A motorboat featuring living spaces ideal for brief voyages, constructed in 2001, was docked at the Air Force Academy club on Nisida island close to Naples for an annual fee of €500.
The club is not accessible to the public, and access is only permitted in exceptional cases for individuals with critical government roles, as reported by Italian media.
In the Campania area, the cost for yearly mooring of a 10-meter boat such as Fico's varies from €2,000 to €7,000, with prices going up to €12,000 in high-end areas like Capri, according to industry data.
Although his term concluded in 2022, Fico is said to have continued receiving the reduced military docking fees for an additional three years after stepping down.
Fico referred to the ship as "just a used gozzo" — a classic fishing boat from the area — and criticized his rivals in the upcoming election for conducting a campaign based on "ridiculous and manipulated" accusations.
He mentioned that he asked for the mooring due to security purposes while he was the Speaker of the Chamber.
When did the boat get purchased?
It remains uncertain when Fico acquired the motor yacht, as Italian media report that it was bought either just before or right after the parliament's dissolution in July 2022.
Other sources suggest he may have purchased the boat, which was worth between €120,000 and €150,000, following his departure from office in October 2022.
Iannone raised doubts about whether Fico correctly disclosed the boat acquisition in his parliamentary asset reports as mandated by a 1982 regulation, noting that he might not have reported it within three months after leaving his position.
Fico has informed individuals within his inner circle that he bought Paprika exclusively in April 2024, suggesting he was unable to list it as an asset while serving in the Chamber of Deputies, as reported by the Il Messagero newspaper.
Nevertheless, it is claimed that he received permission to moor his boat at the Air Force club in 2018, prompting his opponents to criticize Fico for contradictions in his account and questioning if the request was actually for someone else's vessel.
Senator Sergio Rastrelli, a member of the Brothers of Italy party, submitted a parliamentary inquiry to Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, seeking explanation regarding what he described as "unlawful" anchoring at a military installation.
"If it is confirmed to be true, we will be dealing with a very serious issue: no one should believe they are above the state's laws and institutions," Rastrelli stated in a declaration.
Who else faced criticism in Europe?
The debate has sparked parallels with other scandals throughout Europe concerning politicians' high-end possessions.
In France, the 2017 presidential campaign of conservative candidate François Fillon fell apart following revelations that he received suits valued at €48,500 from the prestigious Parisian tailor Arnys between 2012 and 2017.
As a result, the then-relatively obscure Finance Minister Emmanuel Macron surpassed Fillon — who had been ahead in the polls before the vote — and emerged victorious in the election, securing his first term as president of France.
Fillon, who previously held the position of prime minister in France, was eventually found guilty of misusing public money to compensate his wife and children for parliamentary tasks they are alleged not to have carried out. In June 2020, he was handed a five-year prison term, with three years deferred.
Former Greek Minister of Transport, Michalis Liapis, was detained in December 2013 for operating a Volkswagen Touareg high-end SUV with falsified license plates and without insurance. He explained to officers that he created his own plates "so I could take short trips."
Liapis, who also held the position of culture minister, was given a four-year prison term that was suspended and a fine of €3,000 in December 2013.
Can Fico triumph in Campania?
The local elections in Campania, Italy's third-largest region, are scheduled for 23 and 24 November.
Fico is campaigning as a candidate from a center-left coalition, bringing together the Five Star Movement, the center-left Democratic Party (PD), the Greens, and the Left Alliance (AVS), along with various civic groups, aiming to unite the usually divided left in the southern area.
As per recent public opinion surveys released last week, Fico holds a significant advantage over his rival, Edmondo Cirielli from the center-right.
A survey by Corriere della Sera indicates Fico leads with 53% compared to Cirielli's 42.5%, whereas a poll from La Repubblica, integrating data from Noto and SWG, shows an even larger difference, with Fico receiving 54.5% and Cirielli at 42.5%.
A person from Naples, Fico — not related to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico — began as one of the first local supporters of the Five Star Movement, recognized for advocating to "open parliament like a can of tuna." He famously used public buses to travel to parliament after being elected as speaker of the Chamber.
Euronews has contacted the Five Star Movement for a response.
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