The Bank of Italy has commissioned Banca Popolare di Bari, the largest credit institution in the South, but the Government splits over the bailout: Matteo Renzi's Italia Viva is not there. Via Nazionale ordered the immediate dissolution of the bodies with administrative and control functions of the Apulian bank and subjected it to controlled administration due to the heavy capital losses recorded. Ajello and Blandini have been appointed extraordinary commissioners.
The Council of Ministers intervened urgently on the commissioning of the Popolare di Bari after hearing a report by the Minister of Economy, Roberto Gualtieri. The Council of Ministers "expressed its determination to take all necessary initiatives to protect the interests of workers and to strengthen the credit system". The Government's idea is to recapitalize central Mediocredito so that it can intervene on the Popolare di Bari and save it. But it is not said that it is the only way forward and it is necessary to understand who pays, the Renzians point out.
That's why the extraordinary meeting of Palazzo Chigi ended without the approval of the decree law which contained extraordinary interventions for the bank for the opposition of Matteo Renzi's Italia Viva, who after being accused by the Lega and Cinque Stelle in the last legislature for interventions in favor of the banks, now does not intend to endorse bank bailouts with public money . Renziani and Grillini did not participate in the meeting of the Council of Ministers and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, left alone with the ministers of the Democratic Party and Leu, could only take note of it and postpone the decree. But time is running out because the decree must be made before the reopening of the markets on Monday to prevent the crisis of the Popolare di Bari from infecting the entire financial system.
But the Renzians are furious. He explains Luigi Marattin, the economic manager of Italia Viva: “We've been arguing for 50 million of the sugar tax for three months and on December 13th we're throwing away a billion to save a bank from the difficulties caused by how it was managed and who was supposed to supervise it? Those who called us friends of the banks want to do it, but we don't agree with these conditions". Faced with the surge in Italia Viva, which shakes the fragile balance of the government, Di Maio could not help but induce the Grillini ministers to tag along.
Matteo Renzi increases the dose: “It seems that the Government has to put money on the banks: I smile under my mustache because we hadn't put a billion in for the banks, but they made us a lot of controversy. Now it will be up to M5S to do it. If savers are to be saved, it is right to do so, but whoever has told lies must have the courage to say in the end: 'We attacked Renzi unjustly'. Time is a gentleman“. Criticism against the commissioner of the Popolare di Bari said the League which also harshly opposed the behavior of Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte: "Conte is incompetent".
Conte tries to defend himself: “We will not protect any banker, we are calling for liability actions: there are 70 shareholders and many creditors behind it. We will defend the savers of the Popolare di Bari. With Italia Viva I have clarified. We have shared goals. We will create a bank of the South for investments with public participation”. This is also what he says of Maio, who tries to recover the goal that Renzi scored once again.
But is there really a need for a public bank for taxpayer-paid investments? Isn't what the CDP does enough?
"The bank - says in turn a note from the Apulian bank - continues its activity on a regular basis and customers can therefore continue to operate at the branches". But nothing will be the same again.
