Massimo Giletti case is ‘closed’

Italian presenter Massimo Giletti admitted his mistake when claiming that Maltese soldiers shot at migrants but while some people are still asking for an apology, the government considers it to be “case closed”.

A Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman yesterday put a lid on the controversy, sparked last week when Mr Giletti claimed that migrants headed for Lampedusa because Malta was known to shoot at them.

“On Sunday, Massimo Giletti admitted he made a mistake and read out the Maltese ambassador’s letter rebutting the claims. For us this case is closed,” the spokesman said when asked whether Malta would insist on an apology.

The presenter created furore in Malta when making his unfounded claim during Rai Uno’s popular Sunday show Domenica In. Mr Giletti has a discussion slot called L’Arena within the programme.

On Sunday Mr Giletti admitted his mistake, saying it would take much more than an error committed on live television to damage the good relations between Malta and Italy. He also read out a letter sent by Malta’s ambassador to Italy, Walter Balzan.

In the letter, sent on behalf of the Maltese government, Mr Balzan explained it was not true Malta shot at migrants and the island was also a recipient of boat people who ended up on its shores.

Some online commentators were pleased with Mr Giletti’s act of reparation but others continued to insist on the pound of flesh, something which the government has ruled out.