Paper Reportedly Ordered to Publish Parretti’s Denial

A court in Rome has reportedly ordered the Italian newspaper L’Unita to publish a statement by Giancarlo Parretti denying that he gave an interview in which he was quoted as making anti-Semitic remarks.

Under the court order, which was publicized by Parretti’s office but could not be confirmed independently Wednesday, the paper is required to print the statement in equivalent size and type to the original newspaper article.

Parretti--the co-president of Pathe Communications Co., which is attempting to buy MGM/UA Communications Corp. for $1.2 billion--was quoted in the March 9 issue of L’Unita, an influential, Rome-based Communist daily, as saying “the Jews have ganged up on me.”

The alleged remarks were later picked up by several U.S. publications, including The Times.

Parretti, in a prepared statement after the court decision, said his reputation has been seriously damaged by the L’Unita article.

“Although the court’s decision is a victory for me, it cannot compensate for the damage that the publication of these false statements has done to me,” Parretti stated. “I am taking all legal remedies to see that this defamation and harassment stops.”

Sergio di Cori, the Los Angeles correspondent for L’Unita who claims to have conducted the interview with Parretti, told The Times last month that he stands by his account of the story.