Controversy Over Mogol's Flight: Legendary Artist Travels in Fire Department Helicopter

This year's Sanremo festival, beyond musical emotions, provided serious fuel for political debate. The flashpoint became the return to the capital of Mogol, the eminent Italian lyricist, who after receiving a lifetime achievement award used air transport provided by Vigili del Fuoco. The news of using a rescue helicopter to transport the artist triggered an immediate reaction from the opposition, including the Five Star Movement (M5S) and the Democratic Party (PD). Politicians from these groups are thundering about abuse of power and wasting public money for private purposes, suggesting that funds intended for saving lives serve as a luxury means of transport for government VIPs. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi defended this decision, arguing that Mogol is a figure of exceptional importance for Italian culture, and his presence at the festival had a state character. The minister emphasized that the opposition's attacks are pure manipulation aimed at striking the government by using the name of a widely respected artist. Mogol himself, asked about the journey, spoke in superlatives about the fire department officers, calling them 'wonderful people' and stressing that the flight proceeded without the slightest disruption. The institution of a 'national monument' in reference to living artists does not have a strict legal definition in Italy, but it is often invoked by politicians to justify special treatment for persons of outstanding merit to culture.In an official statement, the fire department command assured that the helicopter flight from Sanremo to Rome took place as part of planned technical activities and did not affect the formation's 'uninterrupted rescue capability'. Technical services explained that the aircraft had to be repositioned anyway, and the presence of a passenger did not generate additional operational costs that could burden the state budget. However, this argument does not convince critics, who point to the negative image signal sent by using uniformed rescue formations to serve celebrities, even those with legendary status. „Mogol è un monumento nazionale, le polemiche sono strumentali.” (Mogol is a national monument, the controversy is instrumental.) — Matteo Piantedosi While right-wing media defend the ministry's gesture as an expression of due respect for the creator of hits like 'Il mio canto libero', the liberal and left-wing press delves into the procedures and authority to manage the Interior Ministry's air fleet. The Mogol case has become another symbol of polarization in Italian public life, where even the symbolic honoring of an artist can turn into a sharp dispute over the ethical standards of governance.