ROME (AP) — Italian Premier Mario Monti's new government has suffered its first ethics casualty with the resignation of a minister who allegedly got discounted vacations at an exclusive Tuscan resort.
Carlo Malinconico, Monti’s undersecretary, quit Tuesday although he insists he did nothing wrong.
Italian media have reported that a businessman under investigation for alleged corruption in a public contracts case paid at least part of the bill for Malinconico’s summer weekend getaways in 2007 and 2008 at the five-star Il Pellicano resort on the Tuscan coast.
Monti thanked Malinconico for his "sense of responsibility in putting the public interest before any other consideration."
Monti’s government came into office in November pledging transparency and rigor to help rescue Italy from financial disaster.
