Italy’s next culture minister and art critic Vittorio Sgarbi, who is currently under investigation for possessing stolen paintings, announced his resignation on Friday. He cited Rome’s antitrust agency’s efforts to limit his informal liability as the reason for his resignation.
Sgarbi, 71, was a longtime member of parliament, an outspoken TV personality and close friend of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who died last year.
Mr. Sugarbi, who has been under pressure for weeks to resign over the painting scandal, said he was stepping down “to avoid conflicts of interest” before starting a lecture on Renaissance artist Michelangelo in Milan.
Sgarbi said he was told by antitrust authorities, who are investigating him for possible conflicts of interest, that he should not attend the art conference.
He told the audience that he decided to protect his freedom rather than respect instructions.
“According to the antitrust notice, I should not talk about art, I should not deal with art. I should be a junior minister with administrative duties and limited duties,” he said. .
He said it was an “anonymous letter” to the Ministry of Education, claiming that Sgarbi was receiving compensation for non-official work, in violation of regulations, and for not supporting the Culture Minister. He attacked Gennaro Sangiuliano.
Prosecutors are investigating the politician, who advocates for the protection of the country’s cultural heritage, over the ownership of a 17th-century painting that police said was stolen from a castle near Turin in 2013. The politician denies any wrongdoing.
On Monday, Mr. Sugarbi went on a characteristic rant, slamming two television journalists interviewing him about the painting, saying he wished they were dead and threatening to show them his naked body.