Sigfrido Ranucci defends himself: He never had any interest in Lavitola's business dealings; it was a friendship.

"I have absolutely never had any interest" in Lavitola's business dealings, "never a single cent," "I did everything exclusively out of friendship, in which I believed." This was stated by journalist and former Report host Sigfrido Ranucci at the Festa del Fatto in Marina di Pietrasanta.

The former host responds remotely to leaked reports about the testimony of Natàlia Potenza, Valter Lavitola's ex-partner, interviewed by anti-mafia prosecutors from the Rome Prosecutor's Office investigating the attack on her. She also revealed that a few days after the search of the fixer's home, Ranucci and her ex-partner met with their phones turned off. This is a claim Ranucci denied today, both on his social media profiles and on the sidelines of the Festa del Fatto.

“No secret meeting with Lavitola, I was on tour for seven days”

“Absolutely not, just go and see that I was on tour for seven days, then,” he said in response to reporters who asked him if the 'private' face-to-face meeting had taken place, with Lavitola confessing to being the instigator of the attack of October 16, 2025.

"I don't want to run, I will file an urgent appeal to be reinstated at Report."

"I read that the magistrates will hear me again, I think so, and I believe it's right," he reiterated. Then, regarding rumors about his possible future in politics, he was categorical: "Anyone who thinks of my candidacy is thinking badly. I want to be a journalist." In this regard, he announced that he "probably" will file an "urgent appeal" for reinstatement. "Do you think I'll quit? They're trying everything they can to get me into politics because as a journalist I continue to be a nuisance," he emphasized. "That's why I'll continue to do Report."

And then he doubles down: "I will take legal action in all appropriate venues; those responsible for these actions must pay," "I have three offices in mind, the heads of these offices," "they had to create a narrative that justified my removal." But he doesn't spare direct attacks on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni either: "She wanted to be the prime minister based on merit, but in recent years, if we look at RAI, ideology and cronies have been rewarded, where merit doesn't count." He said he was "very disappointed" with the company itself. At the same time, he predicts "hundreds of lawsuits and requests for damages" against fellow journalists.