Francesco Giavazzi does not give up on the Bank of Italy and returns to office. With an appeal on the front page of "Corriere della Sera", the Bocconi economist and editorialist of the newspaper directed by Ferruccio de Bortoli explicitly invites the director general of the Treasury, Vittorio Grilli, of whom he is a longtime friend, to take a step back and to definitively withdraw his candidacy to head the Bank of Italy.
Giavazzi writes: "Have a little self-respect, Professor Grilli: to protect your image and reputation, the time has come for you to escape the perverse game" that is being played around the succession of Mario Draghi at the head of the Bank of Italy. "Tell him – adds Giavazzi to Grilli – that he does not accept being a candidate for the position of Governor just because he is from Milan and a friend of Minister Tremonti".
Giavazzi, who reiterated his preference for the internal appointment of DG Fabrizio Saccomanni within the Bank of Italy, also addressed the prime minister and wrote: "If Berlusconi does not want to give the impression of having completely lost control of his government, the proposal he deems right (for the Bank of Italy) and if there isn't unanimity, that's not bad”. The important thing is to bring to an end as soon as possible the unseemly spectacle that Italy is giving to the eyes of the whole world and the markets.
