Italian Parliament Exposes Involvement of Giuseppe Garibaldi Ship Grant Broker
The Italian Parliament, led by the Democratic Party and the Movimento 5 Star (Five Star Party), has questioned the involvement of Drass, a private party involved in the sale of the Giuseppe Garibaldi aircraft carrier to Indonesia. This has led to a delay in the parliamentary vote.
The spotlight on Drass's presence has been drawn by the Democratic Party and the Movimento 5 Star, as written by Andrea Carli in ilsole24ore.com, March 16, 2026.
Democratic Party Senators Alessandro Alfieri and Graziano Delrio indicated that the decision to postpone the vote was also supported by some of the political majority. In fact, several unclear points remain, in particular the role of the Italian company Drass, which Indonesia is suspected of appointing as an intermediary for the operation.
However, Drass itself will be an indirect beneficiary of the overall deal, which, according to information provided by the parliamentary office, has a contract for the construction of six submarines worth €480 million currently underway.
The two senators stated that, given the complex political situation, it was crucial that Minister Crosetto appear in person to clarify the details of the operation and dispel any doubts.
The Five Star Party (M5S) also urged, along with the rest of the opposition, to request and obtain a postponement of the vote on the decree on the transfer of the Garibaldi to Indonesia, demanding additional information from the government on all unclear aspects of the matter.
First, they demanded that the role of the Drass company intermediary proposed by the Ministry of Defense in Jakarta be fully disclosed, and the connection between this sale and the large contract won by the same small company for the procurement of submarines, also for Indonesia.
The M5S wanted to know why the Ministry of Defense chose to give away a historic Navy asset that is still worth over €50 million and could therefore be sold rather than given as a gift.
They demanded absolute transparency regarding the relationship between Crosetto and Drass CEO Sergio Cappelletti, regarding their alleged meeting in Dubai in recent days and regarding the relationship between the company and Crosetto's party, which has been funded by the same company in recent years. "We expect clear answers," the M5S statement read.
The potential meeting between Guido Crosetto and Drass CEO Sergio Cappelletti in Dubai surfaced in a March 6, 2026, report by Il Fatto Quotidiano. The trip to Dubai was supposedly to sell a ship. Indonesia was to receive the Garibaldi, valued at €54 million but now obsolete according to the Ministry of Defense.
During Guido Crosetto's stay in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sergio Cappelletti, partner and president of Drass Spa, which has an office in Dubai, was also present.
Following several rumors about a possible meeting with the Minister of Defense, the businessman refused to answer Il Fatto Quotidiano's questions about the matter. Cappelletti was supposed to travel to Indonesia to discuss the sale of six submarines worth €480 million (two were delivered in February).
Indonesia will also receive, free of charge, the Italian Navy's aircraft carrier, the Garibaldi, worth €54 million. The businessman is currently stuck in Dubai. The situation in the Italian Parliament also has the potential to spill over into Indonesia regarding the involvement of non-governmental parties in the transfer and procurement of ships between Indonesia and Italy. The private sector has already shown initiative through the 2025 Defense Equipment Exhibition. (den)
Parlemen Italia yang dimotori Partai Demokrat dan Movimento 5 Star (Partai Lima Bintang) mempersoalkan keterlibatan Drass, pihak swasta yang terlibat dalam penjualan Kapal Induk Giuseppe Garibaldi ke Indonesia. Hal ini memicu penundaan pengambilan keputusan di parlemen.
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