Jorge Tomé says that government had scope to negotiate restructuring of Banif – publico

 
         

                 

                         
                     

                         

                 

 
 

During a short speech in Parliament, which gave explanations on the financial position of Banif, George Thomas, former president of the bank, argued that on 20 December last year there was scope for the government of António Costa continue to negotiate the restructuring plan for public aid was far from being declared illegal.

This is because the Banif meet 95% of the commitments negotiated with the European authorities (the commitment catalog, a document on the future of the bank). And there was still strong chances of the bank being sold in the market without further government aid (with the state to lose 825 million), on the assumption that the news of TVI (to give the liquidation of the bank as imminent) had not been published.

Jorge Tomé questions the fact that the Bank of Portugal, after TVI have come out with information, not hitting for creating a bank resolution, which was within its competence. Why the Bank of Portugal allowed it to be the ECB to control the process, when he had no power to do?

The former president of Banif is now being questioned by deputy PSD, Miguel Morgado who asks why it has not accepted the proposal of private equity Apollo fund during the end-of-week that the bank resolved?

“I think if there had been enhanced She (line eurosystem liquidity) the proposal of Apollo “was” interesting “to the state, as it was the best offer he explains. But it was necessary a few days to negotiate that were not given. “They even were willing to come to Portugal on Sunday morning, December 20,” to negotiate the purchase of Banif.

“But the pressure to find a solution that end-of-week gave it “a loss of 3,000 million, concluded Jorge Tomé. admitted although at the end of the week, December 18, Banif was illiquid and” a bank illiquid does not work. you can work without capital, but not without liquidity. ”

the Finance Minister Mario Centeno, and the governor of the Bank of Portugal, Carlos Costa, will close the last round of interviews carried out in the framework of the Parliamentary Commission of inquiry (CPI) to resolve the Banif.

Carlos Costa is expected in Parliament on June 15, at 17.30, while Mario Centeno will be heard by MEPs on 21 June, at 15h, he informed the president of CPI, António Filipe , the communist counter before starting the hearing former President Jorge Tomé, which is to provide clarity on their role in front of the Banif between 2012 and 21 December 2015.

During this period the bank was operated upon on 31 December 2012 with an injection of public funds 1,100 million euros (of which 275 million were returned), and settled on 21 December 2015, with taxpayers to risk losing 3000 million.