EU sees good reasons for good-bank delay

(ANSA) - Brussels, September 30 - The European Commission "can see good reasons to accept a postponement" in the sale of the good banks set up after the failure for four small Italian lenders last year, a spokesperson for Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said Friday. The spokesperson said that Brussels was engaged in "close, constructive dialogue with the Italian authorities regarding the extension of the deadline for the sale of the four bridge banks," referring to Banca Marche, Banca Etruria, CariChieti and CariFerrara.
    The new lenders were set up following a controversial government intervention financed by healthy Italian banks that saved the jobs and accounts of the four institutes, but left people holding bonds or shares in them with investments worth nothing.
    Premier Matteo Renzi's government said it could not adopt a softer rescue because of European regulations but it has set up a mechanism to compensate small investors who say they were deceived about the risks of buying the bonds.
    The president of the good banks, Roberto Nicastro, wrote to employees this week to say at least one of the institutes was close to being sold.