Gentiloni to 'protect BoI autonomy' (2)

(ANSA) - Rome, October 19 - Sources at Premier Paolo Gentiloni's office said Thursday that the head of government's decisions would protect the independence of the Bank of Italy. On Tuesday, Gentiloni's Democratic Party (PD) caused a huge furore by presenting a motion in the Lower House that came out against Bank of Italy Governor Ignazio Visco over his handling of Italy's recent banking crisis, saying a "new phase was needed".
    Many saw the move as an attack on the independence of the central bank.
    The sources said that the premier's decisions will be "based on the prerogatives attributed to him by the law and inspired exclusively by the criteria of safeguarding the autonomy of the institute".
    Visco is coming to the end of his first term at the helm of the Bank of Italy and, before the PD motion, had been expected to get the nod for a second.