ANAC drafting decrees for bank victims

(ANSA) - Rome, January 27 - The president of Italy's anti-corruption authority (ANAC) Raffaele Cantone on Wednesday said his agency is involved in "intense work" with the finance ministry preparing drafts of decrees that will govern compensation to victims of four failed banks rescued by a government decree last November.
    "The clearer they are, the better we'll be able to manage disputes," Cantone said.
    "So I think it's appropriate if we take a few extra days," he said, referring to the time it will take before the drafts move to a review by Cabinet.
    A cabinet meeting is scheduled for Thursday but most likely the drafts won't be ready until a subsequent meeting.
    The four regional lenders said Tuesday the first phase of a search for investors took place Monday with "more than satisfactory results".
    Banca Etruria, Banca delle Marche, Cassa di Risparmio della Provincia di Chieti (CariChieti) and Cassa di Risparmio di Ferrara (CariFe) said they have attracted preliminary interest from domestic and foreign parties.
    The four failed banks were saved in November by a 3.6-billion-euro government-decreed rescue financed by healthy Italian banks that saved jobs and protected account holders - but shares and bonds in the four lenders are now worthless.
    One of Banca Etruria's former bondholders committed suicide after his life savings became worthless, and hundreds of small investors whose savings went up in smoke are seeking government compensation.