The 5 Stars Movement returns to attack the president of Consob, Mario Nava, this time supported directly by the government ally.
"Nava resigned with a gesture of institutional sensitivity which, at this point, appears truly inevitable in order to re-establish a relationship of trust and loyal collaboration between such important institutions of the State". This is what we read in a joint note signed by the group leaders in the Chamber and in the Senate of the M5S, Francesco D'Uva and Stefano Patuanelli, and of the Lega, Riccardo Molinari and Massimiliano Romeo.
The note continues by stating that “the president of Consob, Mario Nava, declared himself certain in the national newspapers that there is no irregularity in his work and in his appointment. Yet, responding to a question presented to the European Parliament, Commissioner Oettinger confirmed that the current president of Consob "remains subject to the same duties and rights" as Commission officials in active service. This confirms the doubts expressed by the M5S and by the League".
But what would this incompatibility derive from according to the two parties in government? Nava, appointed to lead Consob by the previous Executive, according to them, would have too "close" a link with the European Commission. The current president of the Authority, from 2004 to 2018 he was director of the unit and then director for financial supervision at the Commission and obtained a three-year secondment to cover the position of head of Consob.
According to the majority MPs, however, "contrary to the opinion expressed by the previous government, Nava, as an employee of a supranational institution, is incompatible with the presidency of an independent Italian authority, whose role is to ensure the orderly functioning of the national financial market. The extremely penetrating powers attributed to this authority require the utmost care in avoiding situations of potential conflict of interest. The continuation of this condition, for several months now, indicates in itself that such attention has not been exercised, despite having been solicited by various acts of the inspection union, including a question in the Finance Commission of the Senate ".
The former Economy Minister does not agree with the analysis of Lega and M5S Pier Carlo Padoan who, responding to Radiocor, speaks of a "legitimate" appointment process for a "crucial role": "The proposal belongs to the Prime Minister", recalls Padoan and "I can only reiterate the legitimacy of the appointment process in addition to the role crucial role played by the president of Consob”.
“I don't understand what institutional sensitivity they refer to – continues the ex-minister – towards whom, what?”, he adds, taking his leave to return to the classroom to give lessons.
Also for Innocenzo Cipolletta, president of Assonime, Nava's appointment is legitimate and “the president of Consob must be allowed to carry on with his work”, underlining the need not to throw “Consob into a controversy of a political nature. The previous Government ensures that the appointment procedure followed is correct. This is not to be doubted. There is no cause for controversy. If someone has an actual element he must discreetly bring it to the attention of those in charge for it to be endorsed but he must not try to throw a case into public opinion'. For Cipolletta 'there is a need for truly independent authorities with respect to politics and that relating to Consob, in particular, cannot be identified as an attempt to apply the spoils system: 'We are faced with an assignment decided on the basis of a procedure which it ensures independence from the same government that proposes it. If the spoils system were to be exercised in such a case, then there would no longer be an independent authority. This is a case which a priori cannot be included in a rotation of offices on the basis of the change of government.
