Milan's centre-left mayor Giuseppe Sala is under investigation for the alleged rigging of a 272 million euro tender to supply trees to the Expo 2015 world trade fair, the Corriere della Sera newspaper reported on Friday.
Sala declined to comment on the alleged probe but said he felt "extremely bitter".
"I don't intend to issue any comment on any possible initiative by public prosecutors today or in future," Sala said in a statement.
"I just feel extremely bitter, above all when I think how much I sacrificed to make Expo a big success for Italy and for Milan."
"I will continue to carry out my work in the service of my city with the maximum dedication possible," Sala said.
Sala is already being investigated over another contract for Expo and complained on Friday that in both cases he learnt of the probe from media reports.
"Unluckily, history is repeating itself," he said.
Sala was elected mayor of Milan in 2016 and worked as head of Milan's Expo between 2010 and 2015.
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