Potenza prosecutors on Wednesday
freed from seizure oil giant ENI's Centro Oli processing plant
at Viggiano, the centre of a probe which resulted in former
industry minister Federica Guidi resigning amid
conflict-of-interest claims.
Until March 31 the plant processed around 75,000 barrels a
day, before two tanks and a reinjection well were seized.
Prosecutors on Tuesday greenlit work to modify the plant.
The freeing up of the plant aims to enable some "technical
modifications proposed by ENI within the framework of the
end-of-seizure request presented by the company May 20, and
upheld by the prosecutors," ENI said.
The work is expected to take three months at the most.
State-controlled
ENI, nine other companies, and 60 individuals have
been investigated for illegal waste trafficking in the southern
Basilicata region, prosecutors said earlier this month.
The 70 subjects were notified that the investigation
has ended, in Italy usually a prelude to indictment.
Prosecutors say ENI reaped millions in "unjust profits"
from illegally dumping waste from its oil treatment plant near
the town of Viggiano in the southern Agri Valley. As well, the
probe found irregularities in the construction of the Tempa
Rossa oil centre between Corleto Perticara near Potenza and
Gorgoglione near Matera.
Former Total chiefs as well as various businessmen and
officials were sentenced to terms ranging from two to seven
years in prison on April 4.
The current suspects include former Corleto Perticara mayor
Rosaria Vicino from Premier Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party
(PD), former Basilicata environmental department chief Donato
Viggiano, former ENI southern region exec Ruggero Gheller, his
current replacement Enrico Trovato, and five ENI staffers who
have been under house arrest since March 31.
ENI earlier defended its Viggiano plant operations.
"The Agri Valley (plant) respects international best
practices" while company studies have indicated "no health or
environmental risks", an ENI spokesperson said.
The probe in question does not cover a related one in
Sicily - that investigation is still ongoing - nor a connected
influence-peddling probe into the so-called "oil gang" led by
Gianluca Gemelli, the boyfriend of former industry minister
Guidi.
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