Fear grows for corruption risk in Milan Expo work

ROME (AP) — Italy’s interior minister is pushing for an anti-corruption task force to keep mobsters from infiltrating lucrative construction and services contracts for Milan’s Expo 2015 world fair.

Angelino Alfano told Sky TG24 TV that establishing such a panel could be a “good solution” to preventing infiltration by organized crime in preparation for the fair, expected to create tens of thousands of jobs and attract 20 million tourists.

Last week, seven people were arrested in a probe of contract bidding for the fair, including a top manager for planning and purchasing.

Education Minister Stefania Giannini told reporters Sunday that the corruption scandal was like “opening newspapers from 20 years ago.” She was referring to the 1990s so-called Bribesville probes uncovering systematic kickbacks from businessmen to Italian politicians and other public officials.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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