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ECB

ECB fines rescued Italian bank €11.2 million

The European Central Bank has fined an Italian bank in the throes of a state rescue for breaking rules on risk and disclosing information, the Frankfurt institution said on Friday.

ECB fines rescued Italian bank €11.2 million
Photo: Tiziana Fabi/AFP

Regulators decided in May to fine Banco Popolare di Vicenza a total of €11.2 million euros ($13.4 million), the ECB said in a press release.

Some €8.7 million of the sum was a penalty for the bank missing requirements in quarterly and annual reports in 2014 and 2015.

On top of that, the supervisors levied €2.5 million over the bank breaching limits on large exposures to risk between December 2015 and March 2016.

The rule is supposed to prevent financial institutions making themselves too vulnerable to losses stemming from the failure of a single client or group of connected clients.

Popolare di Vicenza is one of two failing banks from the Venice region liquidated by the Italian state in June, ahead of a takeover by the country's biggest lender Intesa Sanpaolo.

The firms had been struggling with a heavy burden of non-performing loans – debts where the borrowers have failed to keep up repayments.

Friday's punishment marks only the second time the ECB has used its power to issue fines, through the so-called Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM).

It slapped a €2.5 million penalty on Irish lender Permanent TSB in August for failing to keep enough liquid assets on hand.

The SSM branch of the ECB has since 2014 been the top banking regulator in the 19-nation euro single currency area.

PUNISHMENT

Norwegian prime minister fined for Covid-19 rules breach

Erna Solberg has been fined 20,000 kroner for her role in planning a dinner party at a restaurant in Geilo, southern Norway, in February.

Norwegian prime minister fined for Covid-19 rules breach
Instagram erna_solberg

The South East police district has finished its investigation into the episode and concluded that there was a breach of national infection control rules.

The Prime Minister broke infection control measures when 13 family members were gathered at the restaurant in Geilo, a popular skiing destination. At the time, only 10 people could gather in such settings.

“I take note of the police decision. I have previously said that if the restaurant visit is followed up with fines, then we will of course make up for it. I apologise for what happened and will pay the fine,” Solberg said in a statement .

Despite not being present at the meal, due to having an eye checkup in Oslo, Solberg is considered to be one of the event’s organisers as she participated in the decision to host the dinner and was involved in choosing a restaurant.

Despite police saying his role would also fall under that of an organiser, the prime minister’s husband, Sindre Finnes, will not be fined.

“The practical arrangements were made by Solberg’s husband, but Solberg was involved in the decision to eat out,” police chief Ole B. Sæverud said at a press conference.

The police said that such a case would not normally lead to punishment, unless special considerations dictate it.

They believe that this case meets the special considerations criteria as finding Solberg guilty without any punishment could have a negative impact on the population’s compliance with coronavirus restrictions.

“Even though the law is equal for everyone, not everyone is equal. Solberg is the country’s foremost elected official and has on a number of occasions fronted the government’s decisions on measures to counter the pandemic. It is therefore considered appropriate to react with punishment, in order to maintain the public’s trust in the infection control rules,” Sæverud said.

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The restaurant Solberg’s family ate at, Hallingstuene, will not receive a fine.

“If we had come across the incident while it was taking place, we would have clarified the regulations and, if necessary, given orders to end the event. A punitive response would only be considered if the event was carried out in a clearly contagious manner, or there was a case of repeated violation,” said Sæverud.

The prime minister’s family met twice over a weekend in late February as part of her 60th birthday celebrations in Geilo. On the Saturday there were more than 10 people present at an apartment they had rented. However, as the regulations were unclear at the time police said that this was not a criminal violation.

Solberg apologised for the breach when it was first reported in March.

“I, who every single day stand and speak about infection control to the Norwegian people, should have known the rules better. But the truth is that I have not checked the rules well enough, and thus not realiisd that when a family goes out together and there are more than ten persons, it is actually an event,” she said at the time.  

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