A Bulgarian delegation headed by the Minister of Culture Vezhdi Rashidov was also present at the awarding of the prize in question, which is said to be “fabricated”.
They demanded the resignation of the Italian Minister of Culture because of an award given to a film by director Michele Bonev. The reason is that he was pressured by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to give such an award.
Michele Bonev herself is a scandalous figure in Italy. There are even rumors in the public space that he maintains a close relationship with the director of Italian state television, bTV reports.
A Bulgarian delegation headed by the Minister of Culture Vezhdi Rashidov was also present at the awarding of the prize in question, which is said to be “fabricated”. The opposition in Italy accuses the government in Rome of covering the expenses of the delegation in question, but the Italian culture minister categorically denied these claims. At the same time, however, Italian media claim that the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture explained to them that the delegation’s expenses were “at the expense of the host country”, that is, Italy.
An investigation by “168 Chasa” revealed that the plane of the Bulgarian delegation was hired by a private Italian company. Michelle Bonev paid for the delegation’s dinner, but there is no evidence that she paid for the trip itself, the investigation also shows.
Vezhdi Rashidov himself stated in a telephone conversation in “This Morning” that he was invited by the organizers of the film festival and that the Bulgarian taxpayers did not pay anything for this trip. He was adamant that the topic was not about him, but about whoever ultimately paid for the event.
“When they invite me to visit, I don’t ask the host if he has a receipt for what he offered me,” Vezhdi Rashidov said.
“I have not been on the jury, nor have I given out awards. I am not interested in people’s private lives,” the Minister of Culture was categorical.
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