Chigi calls Chigi: Meloni’s press office (from India) is unable to contact the government (in Rome)

Chigi calls Chigi. “They don’t answer me.” A few hours after the premier’s trip to India, what is said happened. The journalists of the Italian newspapers are already in New Delhi and are awaiting the arrival of the premier. She should leave in the late afternoon. The government staff, those in charge of its communication, are on the spot to support the Italian press but unfortunately there are those who have to support the premier’s envoy. It’s Marco Ferrazzoli and he’s part of Meloni’s press office. He is alone and at Palazzo Chigi they don’t answer him because they are too busy with the Sechi affair.

The appointment of Mario Sechi as head of the press office is expected by the hour. And it’s chaos. Italian journalists ask Ferrazzoli for slides, documents. They want to receive the program. Ferrazzoli forwards to everyone the article in the newspaper that describes the confusion surrounding Sechi’s appointment and clearly states “that at the moment he is unable to contact his superiors”. He comments on the article in the Foglio and says: “This is happening in Rome. Have you read it?”. He himself admits that he cannot give information because he “doesn’t have it”. In practice, he speaks of a sort of “white strike” at Palazzo Chigi. Silent phones. It looks like Ettore Scola’s film “Will our heroes be able to find their friend who disappeared in Africa?”. Alberto Sordi wandered along the savannah in search of Nino Manfredi. Today from India a government collaborator calls Rome: “Is anyone there?”. You-you-you…. Chigi calls Chigi.

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• Carmelo Caruso

• Carmelo Caruso, journalist in Palermo, Milan, Rome. He started at La Repubblica. Today he works at the Foglio