ANSA) - Rome, November 9 - Angelo Apponi, the director
general of stock-market regulator CONSOB, said Thursday that the
Bank of Italy did not signal any problems regarding Veneto Banca
ahead of a capital increase in 2013.
The medium-sized lender was recently taken over by Intesa
following a government intervention that prevented a bankruptcy
that would have rocked the country's banking system.
Apponi was reporting to a parliamentary commission of inquiry
into Italy's banking crisis.
Bank of Italy oversight chief Carmelo Barbagallo told the
commission that it reported to CONSOB in November 2013 that
Veneto Banca's price for a capital increase was "incoherent with
the economic situation, given the crisis that was ongoing".
He also said the central bank considered the price off the
mark because of the "negative income performance in 2012".
Barbagallo said that, in his opinion, this "was sufficient to
trigger a CONSOB warning".
5-Star Movement (M5S) premier candidate Luigi Di Maio said
Thursday that CONSOB and the Bank of Italy were putting on a
"dramatic show".
"They are kicking up a row and in this way they are putting
us in serious difficulty with the international community," he
said.
"It is clear that those who have watched over things up to
now cannot keep doing so".
Democratic Party (PD) President Matteo Orfini said Thursday
that the picture emerging from the parliamentary commission of
inquiry into the banking crisis was "serious, grave and
alarming".
"It shows we were right to want to set up this commission,"
Orfini said via Twitter. "And (we were right) to day the
oversight system had serious shortcomings".
The PD presented a motion in parliament critical of the Bank
of Italy's handling of the banking crisis before Governor
Ignazio Visco was recently given a second term by the
government.
The parliamentary commission of inquiry into the Italian
banking system crisis on Thursday cancelled a scheduled
cross-examination of Bank of Italy and CONSOB representatives.
Commission chair Pier Ferdinando Casini said "differences of
opinion have only emerged over assessments, not over the facts".
PD leader and ex-premier Matteo Renzi said "the commission of
inquiry into banks, wanted by the Pd, is working well to
understand who made mistakes. And those who erred must pay:
that's not populism it's justice".
Renzi went on to say that banking oversight systems had
failed and that a savers' fund must now be set up.
He said the government reform of 'Popolari' savings banks had
"saved a system betrayed by a lack of checks".
BoI responds to CONSOB claim Veneto Banca probs not reported (2)
M5S bemoans dramatic show, PD says alarming