Italy Pol Says COVID Doubt As Bad As Holocaust Denial

Story ByMaja Mishevksa, Sub EditorMarija StojkoskaAgencyNewsflash

This top Italian politician has said those who doubt the existence of coronavirus should be punished like Holocaust deniers as he calls for strict new laws.

Luca Zaia, 52, the President of Veneto region in northern Italy, made the comments in a live broadcast on the ‘Agora’ TV programme on the Rai 3 channel when asked about those who claim that coronavirus does not exist.

He said: “There are people denying the coronavirus pandemic. […] I am in favour of freedom of thought, but there is a limit that we cannot pass. Those denying things like concentration camps commit a crime.

Credit: CEN/@zaiapresidente

“It is full of flat-earthers, Holocaust deniers. I say that there should be a strict law against those denying the evidence.”

He added that incorrect information being spread could lead to people’s deaths.

The politician also commented on the Director of the intensive care unit of the San Raffaele hospital in Milan, Alberto Zangrillo, saying that coronavirus no longer exists clinically.

Zaia commented that “I think he is right. Currently, in Veneto we have an infection rate lower than 0.6 per thousand, which means that if we have 1,000 people in one square metre, there will not be anyone there who is infected.

“The infection is collapsing, but we should not lower our guard”.

He said he is against the limitation of travelling between regions in Italy and believes that “free circulation is fundamental”.

Speaking about the Greek authorities’ decision to bring in restrictions of Italian tourists from specific regions, Zaia said “Venezian people know Greece and consider it as a second home” and added that “the Greeks are wrong”.

The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.