(ANSA) - Rome, February 8 - Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi on Wednesday rejected the resignation of city planning chief Paolo Berardi, saying he had "apologised" for a press interview criticising her, which he denied giving. Berdini had tendered his resignation after criticising Raggi in an interview with La Stampa, which he denied giving. "I reaffirm by esteem in Mayor Raggi and tender my resignation," he said in a statement. In the interview, which was confirmed by La Stampa, Berdini allegedly called Raggi "unprepared" and said she had surrounded herself by a "gang" of allegedly incompetent officials. He also allegedly claimed she and her former cabinet chief Salvatore Romeo were "lovers, and ill-equipped" for their jobs. Raggi is being probed in two separate cases, over Romeo's appointment and over the appointment of Renato Marra, brother of her ex-right-hand man Raffaele, as city tourism chief. Raffaele Marra was arrested in a separate corruption probe in December.

