(ANSA) - ROME, NOV 28 - The German-born director of
Florence's Uffizi Galleries Eike Schmidt gained Italian
citizenship on Tuesday against the backdrop of apparent tension
with centre-left mayor Dario Nardella over his possible bid as
city mayor on a centre-right ticket in municipal elections next
year.
"I have not heard from the mayor," said Schmidt after swearing
allegiance to the Italian Republic at Palazzo Vecchio, the city
hall.
"I have read that he said several times that he did not want to
talk to me because I was just a civil servant. On the contrary,
I started my life as a civil servant, now I am a state manager,
I talk to everyone, to civil servants, to assistants. I was very
pleased to appear before such a competent civil servant of the
Municipality of Florence" for the oath, added Schmidt, who took
up direction of one of the world's most visited museums in 2015.
(ANSA).