Giuseppe Vegas, the head of
Italian stock-market regulator CONSOB, told the parliamentary
commission of inquiry into the banking crisis Thursday that he
once spoke to Cabinet Secretary Maria Elena Boschi about Banca
Etruria and Banca Popolare di Vicenza.
The banks were among several lenders whose troubles forced
interventions featuring billions of euros in public money to
prevent failures that would have had devastating consequences
for Italian finance.
The father of former relations with parliament minister
Boschi is a former vice president of Banca Etruria.
"I spoke about the question with then minister Boschi,"
Vegas told the commission regarding Banca Etruria.
"(She voiced concern) about a worrying outlook because, in
her opinion, it was possible that Etruria would be incorporated
by the Popolare di Vicenza and this was damaging for Arezzo's
main industry, which is gold.
"I replied to her that CONSOB was not competent (for bank
mergers)".
Roberto Speranza, a leading member of the leftwing Free and
Equal (LeU) party, suggested Boschi should quit on the grounds
that this contradicted statements given in parliament.
"The picture that emerges from Vegas's statements cannot be
ignored," said Speranza.
"When a member of the government lies to parliament, there is
no other road to take than resignation".
Boschi denied lying to parliament.
"I confirm in all details what I told parliament two years
ago," she said.
"Those who ask for my resignation because I'm supposed to
have lied to parliament must tell me in what point of the
minutes I lied.
"I met the CONSOB president in various fora, as I met other
institutional representatives: never, I repeat never, did I
exert pressure".
Vegas responded by stressing that Boschi did not exert
pressure on him.
"I think it's normal that an MP should be interested in her
constituency," he said.
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