Civil servants must observe ‘with discipline and honor’ the Constitution (Article 54), to ensure their loyalty to the state … or to Coldiretti, in areas strategic to its magic circle?
The fluctuation of appointments and jobs between the P.A. and Palazzo Rospigliosi-which adds to the numerous, often outlawed conflicts of interest repeatedly reported on this site as part of the #CleanVanghePulse investigation-stimulates some doubts.
Public administration and Coldiretti, revolving doors
Coldiretti has a long tradition of hiring more or less well-known figures from the top ranks of public administration. The enticement of base salaries-base salaries that for area heads exceed 200,000 euros/year-net of bonuses, tokens, attendance and recognition-seems truly irresistible, as will be seen in some examples to follow.
The gratitude and generosity of the chief of chiefs toward public leaders and officials is well known to all. (1) To politics, MiPAAF and in the various related bodies, even to the supreme judiciary. Some do not endure their entire working lives at the lavish banquets of Palazzo Rospigliosi, but each of its guests has derived wealth from it.
Ezio Castiglione. ISMEA – Coldiretti, a/r
Ezio Castiglione – former sole director of Ismea Investimenti per lo Sviluppo S.r.l. (a subsidiary of ISMEA) as well as head of the cabinet of former agriculture ministers Gianni Alemanno and Paolo De Castro – was enlisted as head of Coldiretti’s Economic and Trade Union Area. Then-President Sergio Marini tried to erect him as a counterbalance to Vincenzo Gesmundo, but the leader of leaders prevailed. And Ezio Castiglione, at the proposal of Minister Maurizio Martina, was thus appointed president of ISMEA. (2)
ISMEA (Institute of Services for the Agricultural Food Market) is a public economic entity that ‘carries out information, insurance and financial services and provides forms of credit and financial guarantees for agricultural enterprises and their associated forms.’ As well as assisting regions in land rearrangement activities and encouraging generational turnover in agriculture with a ‘specific aid scheme approved by the European Commission.’ (3)
Raphael Borriello. ISMEA – Coldiretti
Raffaele Borriello was himself director general of ISMEA and chief of staff to former Agriculture Minister Teresa Bellanova. (4) But current Coldiretti President Ettore Prandini wanted him at his side, so Raffaele Borriello joined Palazzo Rospigliosi as head of the legislative and institutional relations area, effective 1/15/21.
Commendatore Borriello had in fact reportedly been attending meetings of the magic circle at Palazzo Rospigliosi for years. So much so that Secretary General Vincenzo Gesmundo – in introducing him at a meeting with area leaders on 19.2.19 – reportedly called him a ‘lifelong Coldiretti man.’ Combination, he was precisely responsible for the establishment of IBF Servizi S.p.A. by ISMEA and Bonifiche Ferraresi S.p.A. (5)
Alessandro Apolito. MiPAAF – Coldiretti
Alessandro Apolito is another newly appointed ex-ministerial at Palazzo Rospigliosi. He stands alongside Gianluca Lelli, who in turn returned to the fold after the flop of the Federconsorzi 2 project aka CAI SpA where the memberships of the Consorzi Agrari marked a setback and management results did not bode well. (6) Alessandro Apolito, who is reported by rumors to have ‘important’ family members (father former secret service, mother and sister on the Constitutional Court), seems to have made a career out of renzi militancy.
Maurizio Martina-then minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry took Alessandro Apolito into his press office. And just before he resigned, he had him appointed (without a competition, ça va sans dir) as a three-year executive in supply chain policy. (7) In that role, it appears that the young man has gone to great lengths to endorse Coldiretti’s plate supply chain contracts. And so, as if by magic, when his contract as a public manager expired, he would be offered a salary almost double at Palazzo Rospigliosi.
NRP, Coldiretti hands down
Combination, Coldiretti has entrusted Alessandro Apolito with the very topic of supply chain contracts, after having asked for and obtained an allocation in the PNRR (National Recovery and Fesilience Plan) of at least 1.5 billion euros.
Former Renzian ministers Maurizio Martina and Teresa Bellanova would then ensure a line of continuity in the public executive role formerly occupied by Apolito by having a loyal workmate, Milena Battaglia, appointed. Again, without competition (8.9).
Other billions will instead be handled by Raffaele Borriello with the ‘lakes project,’ ‘green chemistry’ and precision agriculture. For the latter purpose, Coldiretti has already purchased the Demetra digital platform from Abaco SpA. Which, together with Leonardo SpA, already manages various contracts in that AGEA (Agenzia Generale per le Erogazioni in Agricoltura) headed by Gabriele Papa Pagliardini, a business partner of the Coldiretti magic circle.
Fabrizio Di Marzio. Cassation – Coldiretti
Fabrizio Di Marzio is the former Supreme Court adviser enlisted at Palazzo Rospigliosi as area head of ‘Labor Action and Legislation. (11) Already as a toga he was expressing his polytheism in the Hungary lodge, collaboration with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, participation in meetings of area heads and the so-called ‘steering cabins’ of Coldiretti (since late 2018, in the company of Giuseppina Ivone). In fact, the chief of chiefs instructed him to verify that ‘from the legal regulatory and business perspective we are doing the right thing.’
‘Wanting to simplify further, we need a risk reducer. And this affects not only the confederation, but also the big, ‘small’ and ‘very small’ risks at the territorial level.’ (12)
He is a board member of Consorzi Agrari SCpA–founder of CAI SpA–and inspirer of Esiodo S.r.l., which billed CAI SpA 2 million euros for 2 months of obscure ‘corporate and organizational consulting’. (13) In between the ‘liquidation crew,’ a university professorship and his many other roles, Fabrizio Di Marzio also conceived the new Centro Studi Divulga foundation at Palazzo Rospigliosi.
Felice Adinolfi. University of Bologna et Divulga
Felice Adinolfi-a longtime collaborator of Paolo De Castro, MEP and former Minister of Agriculture-teaches agricultural economics at the same University of Bologna. He is reported to be very busy at the Coldiretti presidency secretariat and in fact sits on the board of the Centro Studi Divulga foundation, among others.
His job should be ‘tocreate consensus in academia around Coldiretti’s theses, so as to scientifically endorse the union’s positions.’ One may perhaps question the professor’s scientific independence, but it is just one case of many. Certainly not as serious as the Coldiretti galaxy affiliations of members of committees that evaluate multimillion-dollar funding projects at MiPAAF. (14)
Francesco Giardina. MiPAAF – Coldiretti
Francesco Giardina – former adviser and then head of the technical secretariat of then-Minister Maurizio Martina – is the coordinator and head of Anagribios, the evanescent ‘national organic farming association‘ created by Coldiretti. No wonder, then, that he is vocal about his ex-subjects at the MiPAAF table on organic, with catastrophic effects among other things. (15)
Rather there is the question of how it is possible that a former ministerial official, who coordinated the SINAB (national information service on organic agriculture) for years, could simultaneously hold the position of political executive in a private organization-in the restricted executive committee of AIAB (Italian Association for Organic Agriculture)-that operated in the same sector. In one of the countless conflicts of interest that perhaps express a tragic reality.
A tragic reality?
‘Censis attributes Coldiretti’s function as a system strength, which translates into the ability to “act on the boundaries of others’ sovereignty, careful to build cooperation, exchange comparison.”
And as such we have the right/duty to replace the institutions themselves when they fail, because that is what people expect from us. Ours is a demonstration of the reputational level achieved. It is proof that in the virtuous market of proximity we own the majority share. Or even better: that we are the “party of proximity” (…)
And remember that our great political and cultural goal is that the belief that what is good for Coldiretti is good for Italy is established in the experience of politics, in institutions, in Italian citizens and first and foremost in all of us !’ (Vincenzo Gesmundo, 25.3.21. See footnote 16).
Revolving Doors
The ‘revolving doors’ between public administration, politics and Coldiretti seem to have no limits. Suffice it to mention the case of the former disputed director of the Customs and Monopolies Agency Giuseppe Peleggi, (17) who became head of the technological innovation area of the ‘yellow flags’. Or those of famous magistrates from the ‘Mani Pulite’ pool, such as Gherardo Colombo now president of UE.Coop (the ‘European Union of Cooperatives’ at Palazzo Rospigliosi) and Giancarlo Caselli, president of the scientific committee ofColdiretti’s Agromafie Observatory. (18)
An old list of the telephone is not enough to collect the list of patrimonial relationships that-beyond the employee relationships, of those directly involved and/or their family members-bind the Coldiretti galaxy to public employees, public service officers, supervisory bodies (e.g., auditors, auditors), etc. At the central, regional and local levels, a parallel system of power enforces allegiance to the court at Palazzo Rospigliosi. Whose private interests, concentrated in the hands of a select committee, have nothing to do with the ‘good of Italy’. Nor with those of farmers and ranchers, as it turns out. (1)
#CleanSpades, or the reform of the Italian Constitution?
Dario Dongo
Notes
(1) Dario Dongo. Germina Campus, Coldiretti’s holding company speculating on farmers. #CleanSpades. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 6/13/21, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/idee/germina-campus-la-holding-di-coldiretti-che-specula-sugli-agricoltori-vanghepulite
(2) Maurizio Martina, in his answer 15.1.15 to a specific parliamentary question – downplayed the persistence of a link ‘between Castiglione and Coldiretti, given that the consulting contracts with two companies that can be mediately and indirectly traced back to the Association are an effect of the settlement agreement concerning the early termination of the previous employment contract‘. V. http://documenti.camera.it/leg17/resoconti/commissioni/bollettini/html/2015/01/15/13/allegato.htm
(3) ISMEA. Who we are. http://www.ismea.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/6
(4) The adherences between the Coldiretti magic circle and Teresa Bellanova are evident in various pipelines, including:
(a) the increase ‘by decree’ of insurance costs in agriculture (see https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade .it/idee/assicurazioni-agevolate-in-agricoltura-l-anomalia-italiana-vanghepulite),
(b) the indifference to conflicts of interest of AGEA Director General Gabriele Papa Pagliardini (see https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade .it/mercati/coldiretti-federconsorzi-2-e-il-direttore-di-agea-interrogazione-al-senato),
(c) support for AGEA’s outlaw resolution to oust freelancers from agricultural support services (see https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade .it/mercati/tris-del-tar-lazio-sui-caa-riammessi-i-liberi-professionisti)
(5) CEO of IBF Servizi S.p.A. is Federico Vecchioni, one of the ‘condottieri’ of CAI S.p.A. aka Federconsorzi 2. See also https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/idee/federconsorzi-2-e-cai-real-estate-i-tesori-immobiliari-dei-consorzi-agrari
(6) Consorzi Agrari Terrepadane, Northeast and Umbria among others seem to have understood the dark sides of the CAI SpA and CAI Real Estate Srl operation, as noted (see https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade .it/idee/federconsorzi-2-agrirevi-aipo-unaprol-affari-d-oro-per-il-cerchio-magico-di-coldiretti). CAI SpA’s operating results (margins, dividends, and cash flows from operations) will most likely be well below expectations. And AgriCorporateFinance Srl, the first financial partner of CAI Real Estate S.r.l., is about to present a balance sheet in deep red
(7) MiPAAF Decree 14.9.17, appointment of Alessandro Apolito as manager %252FD.048e6428541043fbe609/P/BLOB%
(8) MiPAAF Decree 28.10.20, appointment of Milena Battaglia as manager.
https://www.politicheagricole.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeAttachment.php/L/IT/D/2%252Fc%252Fa%252FD.bf4fb9b9718dc84cb6d5/P/BLOB%3AID%3D16285/E/pdf
(9) Among other coincidences, Benedetta Renzi sister of the unnamable (citing Marco Travaglio) was hired in 2019 in Coldiretti Emilia-Romagna. During the same period, Coldiretti also offered shelter to another Iron Rhenzian, Nicola Centrone, former chief of staff of then-Minister Luca Lotti brushed by the wiretapping investigation in the Consip case
(10) Dario Dongo. AGEA – Coldiretti, European Commission rejects conflict of interest. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 3/24/21, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/progresso/agea-coldiretti-la-commissione-europea-boccia-il-conflitto-d-interessi
(11) GiustiziaCivile.com, a magazine edited by Giuseppe Conte and Fabrizio Di Marzio. Fabrizio Di Marzio’s cv, at https://giustiziacivile.com/curriculum/di-marzio-fabrizio
(12) Vincenzo Gesmundo. Report 25.3.21, excerpt from item 8(A tool for doing things ‘right’)
(13) Esiodo S.r.l., combination, is owned by Germina Campus SpA whose sole shareholder is Coldiretti. V. https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/idee/germina-campus-la-holding-di-coldiretti-che-specula-sugli-agricoltori-vanghepulite
(14) Dario Dongo. Livestock system and biodiversity, public disbandment. #CleanSpades. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 3/31/21, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/mercati/sistema-allevamento-e-biodiversità-sbando-pubblico-vanghepulite
(15) Dario Dongo. Organic imports, partial reversal at MiPAAF. #CleanSpades. (Great Italian Food Trade). 5/15/21, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/mercati/importazioni-bio-parziale-retromarcia-al-mipaaf-vanghepulite
(16) Vincenzo Gesmundo. Report 25.3.21, excerpt from points 1(A systemic force) and 12(Conclusions: tightening the hands of our Coldiretti)
(17) DirPubblica, Civil Service Federation. Letter from the secretary general to Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, 4/28/15. https://www.dirpubblica.it/public/allegati/1770/20150428_a_Renzi_.pdf
(18) Deputy vice president of the Agromafie Observatory is Andrea Baldanza, deputy attorney general at the Lazio regional prosecutor’s office. Who back in 2014, then an advisor to the Court of Accounts, organized the Summer School for Coldiretti youth (see https://giovanimpresa.coldiretti.it/notizie/eventi/pub/la-summer-school-secondo-andrea-baldanza/)
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
, to ensure their loyalty to the state ... or to Coldiretti, in areas strategic to its magic circle?){kind=link}