PH
Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister of Italy, declared on Thursday that an MP who brought a pistol to a New Year’s Eve party and accidentally shot someone would be suspended.
The little revolver’s owner, Emanuele Pozzolo, a lawmaker for Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party, acknowledges this, but he denies ever firing it.
In an event that made headlines across the world and drew criticism from opposition leaders, a guest was shot in the leg but escaped major injury.
During her customary year-end press conference, which was rescheduled in December due to her illness, Meloni did not conceal her annoyance about the occurrence.
She said she did not know all the facts, but said that “someone was not being responsible and the person who was not responsible was… the owner of the gun”.
Meloni said she had asked the case be referred to a party commission and “pending a decision, he (Pozzolo) be suspended from Brothers of Italy”.
Such a situation was not acceptable for any Italian, “let alone for a parliamentarian, let alone for a Brothers of Italy lawmaker”, she said.
“On this I intend to be strict, as you can see.”
The event has prompted prosecutors to begin an inquiry into potential offenses such as failure to secure a firearm and involuntary or negligent injury.
In a statement, they claimed to have also taken possession of the bullet and the firearm, a 0.22 North American Arms handgun.
According to reports, the fatality is the son-in-law of junior justice minister Andrea Delmastro’s bodyguard, who is also rumored to have attended the party in Rosazza, close to Turin.
“The shot was accidentally fired from a pistol I legally owned but it was not me that fired,” 38-year-old Pozzolo stated in a statement earlier this week.
Italy has tight laws governing gun ownership, but this month Meloni’s party suggested lowering the legal age to 16 in order to obtain a hunting rifle permit.
Politicians from the opposition expressed shock at the event and had urged Meloni to respond.
