MILAN (ITALPRESS) – Italy’s exit from the European infringement procedure “is a strategic priority for the country. It means the downturn of the deficit under the threshold of 3 percent on the gross domestic product that will allow the government to have adequate availability to affect the excess of inequalities existing today in Italy”. To talk, in a long interview with Il Sole 24 Ore, signed by Fabio Tamburini, is the CEO of Intesa Sanpaolo, Carlo Messina.
With regard to the contribution that banks could make to the reorganization of public accounts, Messina stressed that “no doubt in recent years in favour of the banking system have played several factors, starting from high interest rates. This is why the banks immediately gave themselves a hand. Thanks to the excellent work of Giorgia Meloni on public accounts, the exit from the infringement procedure will result in an improvement of the structural conditions of the country which also benefits the banking sector. But this does not mean being put under control as it has been happening for at least a couple of months, accused of thinking only of immediate profits. We neglect the fact that we are the pillar of the country and that our sector represents excellence in Europe. Not only. Banks and insurance have had, they have and will have a key role to hold public accounts.”
According to the number one of Intesa Sanpaolo, “banks should be considered as resources, not weakened. Take the example of Intesa Sanpaolo. We are a great promoter of social cohesion: We think it is right that some of the profits serve to counter the inequalities. In the period 2023-2027 those transferred from shareholders to the community will be 1,5 billion. And it would be a shame to have to reduce them.”
For Messina “our country must grow more”. “Surely – he adds – the Pnrr has served and still serves but not enough”, said Messina, stressing that it is also necessary to “approve public incentives to support the investments of enterprises, just as it happens all over the world: from the United States to China, from Germany to France. This must be foreseen in the coming financial maneuver, along with radical interventions for deburring and for reducing energy costs. We need a simplification effort.”.
According to Messina “it should be remembered that banks and insurance are not controlled by the state. So they’re not conditional. That’s why we need team play. Why should we only pay when it is necessary to make public accounts square? There are today 22 companies in Italy with over 1 billion net profit per year. And only nine are banks and insurance. Half of the others are in public participation. With a view to supporting public accounts, why not think of a wider audience? I see a risk of informing banks and insurance as profit holders to be taxed excessively, although extraordinary.”.
The risk is “to weaken the leading axis of country growth. In the United States are the big hi-tech companies, in Italy are the banks”. Among the many themes touched, Messina also spoke of the European measure on golden power: “In the face of a measure for now general government is preparing the necessary clarifications. I think it might have consequences, favoring some operations in 2026. I would find it paradoxical that the result was the sale of one of the main Italian banks to a French banking group, after having blocked the purchase from another Italian bank”.
-foto Ipa Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
