Antitrust opens probe into Sgarbi

(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 31 - Italy's antitrust authority on Tuesday opened a probe into Culture Undersecretary Vittorio Sgarbi to see if his lavish reported earnings from various private contracts represent an activity incompatible with that of being a member of the government, the authority said in a statement.
    The probe, opened after a report from Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano, will set out to establish if the hundreds of thousands of euros reportedly earned in various gigs by the art critic and cultural expert are incompatible with his government standing.
    Sgarbi, 71, is one of Italy's top art critics as well as a noted political and cultural polemicist. He has been an official at several art bodies and mayor of several art towns in Italy and is currently first citizen of Arpino, Ancient Roman statesman Cicero's birthplace between Rome and Naples, as well as president of the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto. (ANSA).