The leader of Italy's former communist party, Mr Armando Cossutta, was a spy for the Soviet KGB, a right-wing member of a parliamentary investigating committee said yesterday.
Mr Cossutta (73) is leader of the Party of Italian Communists (PDCI), which has two ministers in the centre-left government.
"Let's not be ridiculous," said Mr Cossutta in a reaction.
Mr Mario Palombo, a member of parliament for the right-wing National Alliance party and committee member, said a list of more than 250 Italians who allegedly spied for the KGB contained mostly names of journalists. The government yesterday approved publication of the list.