Rome - Former Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema has desribed his outrage at being linked to a corruption probe over alleged bribes in Ischia. Following the investigation, 10 people including the Mayor of Ischia, Giuseppe Ferrandino, were arrested over suspected corruption regarding public contracts.

 Massimo Ferrandino, the brother of Ischia’s mayor, has also been arrested following the probe with the duo suspected of taking bribes worth up to €330,000. According to reports, prosecutors believe that several officials from the co-operative CPL Concordia were able to pay high profile figures for “favours” when bidding for public contracts. It is alleged that the company created slush funds in Tunisia in order to facilitate the process.

 The former Prime Minister of Italy Massimo D’Alema, who was in office between 1998 and 2000 and is currently a member of Matteo Renzi’s centre-left party, was mentioned in conjunction with the probe, however strenuously denies any wrongdoing.

 "I certainly do have relations with CPL Concordia, but the relationship is totally transparent," D'Alema said. "It did not entail requests from them or acts by me of an illegal nature of any form. I have previously been investigated and always acquitted." 

 These revelations have come just days after the then Infrastructure Minister Maurizio Lupi, was forced to resign following allegations of corruption, also in the field of public contracts.