With reference to an article published in today’s issue of Italian daily La Repubblica, under the title Telecom, l’inchiesta si allarga “Spiati Colombo e D’Ambrosio” (“Telecom, The Investigation Widens ‘Colombo and D’Ambrosio eavesdropped’ ”), under the byline Piero Colaprico and Giuseppe D’Avanzo, Telecom Italia has decided to depart from its policy of silence, adopted out of respect for the painstaking investigation currently being undertaken by investigating magistrates.
Despite having no desire to engage in to-and-fro rebuttals of the outpourings of individuals who have access to, the ability to publish in or are able to fill column inches in various media outlets, and aware of media practices of combing through daily court injunctions and statements made by persons under investigation, the Telecom Italia Group wishes to point out that no sums of money (so-called "funds") have ever been directly or indirectly available to the Chairman. Pursuant to accounting and financial reporting procedures, as is customary practice the Chairman’s office has its own cost center. All transactions regarding this cost center are duly documented.
Milan, January 29, 2007