European Affairs Minister
Paolo Savona is under investigation in a Campobasso probe into
banking usury when he was a top manager at Italy's biggest bank
Unicredit, sources said Friday.
The probe involved another 22 people, judicial sources said.
They include former banker Alessandro Profumo, now CEO of
aerospace giant Leonardo, and Fabio Gallia, CEO and general
manager of government bank Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP).
A lawyer for alleged usury victim Engineering SrL, Luigi
Iosa, told ANSA that the notification was "a formality" because
bank chiefs have to be probed for their "role of guarantee and
control".
Asked whether Savona should resign, Deputy Premier Luigi Di
Maio said "it's a probe we already knew about".
Therefore, he said, Savona should not be forced to quit.
The probe "is a formality towards him when he was at
Unicredit", Di Maio said.
"Having said that, as always, if we already knew about the
investigation and we still chose Savona, we're going forward,"
said Di Maio.
Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, the other deputy premier
and government partner, voiced the hope that the Italian justice
system would swiftly clear European Affairs Minister Paolo
Savona in a banking usury probe.
"May justice run its course speedily," he said.
"Does he look like someone with the face of a usurer?
"I hope justice runs its course swiftly because I think that
Paolo Savona is one of the cleanest, most correct and most
honest people in this country".
Di Maio heads the senior government partner, the
anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S).
Salvini leads the junior partner, the anti-migrant
Euroskeptic League (L) party.
Salvini has been accused of dominating the news cycle with
his anti-migrant moves.
The alleged usury took place over 10 years and allegedly
involved transactions at Rolo Banca 1473, which was subsequently
taken over by Unicredit, judicial sources said.
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