Govt working on preventing new Ariston cases says Tajani

(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 2 - The government is working on preventing more cases like Ariston Thermo Group, the Italian heating company that was effectively nationalised by Russia when President Vladimir Putin issued a decree putting it under the temporary management of energy giant Gazprom, Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Thursday.
    Speaking after chairing a meeting of the Working Table for Italian companies in Russia, Tajani said: "As a government we stand by the companies: I know that the Prime Minister (Giorgia Meloni) has also spoken directly with (Paolo) Merloni (Ariston Thermo executive chairman).
    "All the ministers responsible for the matter have been mobilised".
    As well as the Russian subsidiary of Ariston, the Russian unit of German engineering giant Bosch was also put under Gazprom by Putin's decree, while other Italian companies are believed to be threatened with the same action.
    'We want to provide all companies operating in Russia with the greatest possible protection from the government," Tajani went on.
    "This is not just an Italian issue, but a European and international one.
    "We want to prevent similar operations in the future." (ANSA).