by Francesco Carbone
Exactly 140 million are worth of assets that Italy is seizing from the Russian oligarchs to follow up the international retaliation against the war in Ukraine, thus following in the footsteps of other European countries.
"Freezing measures are being adopted on the Italian territory of movable and immovable property belonging to Russian subjects on the lists of European regulations - explains the Ministry of Economy - for about 140 million euros. A first transaction has already been completed and it concerns a boat worth 65 million euros. Other measures are in the process of being adopted ".
Inevitably, the thought goes to Igor Sechin, at the helm of the state oil giant Rosneft which has been spotted several times in our country with an 88-meter yacht worth more or less estimated at 66 million.
But the detail is not yet officially known.
The first kidnappings of the Russian oligarchs are therefore also starting in Italy, who, notoriously, have many 'mobile and immovable' interests in our country.
In all, 680 people are affected by the European sanctions and 26 are the 'super rich' Russians.
In recent days, seizures of mega yachts, among other measures, have been carried out in France and Germany.
The Ministry of Economy and Finance took care of it today, which for this very reason brought together the Financial Security Committee.
And in fact, the Bank of Italy UIF's request to banks and financial operators to communicate "as soon as possible" the "measures to freeze funds and economic resources" of the Russian subjects hit by European sanctions also came very close.
The CSF, founded in 2001 and chaired by the Director General of the Treasury, is made up of representatives of the Mef, the Interior, Justice, Foreign Affairs, the Bank of Italy, Consob, Isvap, the Information Unit financial, the GdF, the Dia, the Carabinieri and the National Anti-Mafia Directorate.
"The Committee - explains the Mef - has conducted a survey of the measures to freeze funds, mobile and immovable economic resources, so far adopted against the Russian persons and entities identified in the lists attached to the aforementioned regulations, and of the information exchanges in progress".
So now: "The Committee will continue to guarantee the maximum connection of the administrative and investigative initiatives and actions necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the sanctions".
However, this is not an easy activity, also because many Russian oligarchs have already implemented counter-moves (for example by selling their holdings in advance) and in some cases they can count on the double passport granted by Malta or Cyprus in recent years to attract capital.
But now the 'machine' has started.
The Italian 'counter-moves' are also other: the Minister of Development Giancarlo Giorgetti has in fact given the go-ahead to the task force that will have to deal with the repercussions for companies that operate directly in Russia and Ukraine.
While Sace announces the temporary suspension of the "assessment of the assumption of new risks for the export credit business in Russia and Belarus".
"The West - Joe Biden threatened in his State of the Union address - will seize the yachts, luxury apartments and private jets of the Russian oligarchs".
And in Italy we proceed.
(HANDLE).
