Saturday, July 26, 2008

Ethics Italian style - 1


The Italian industrialists association ( Confindustria) was lead until a few months ago by Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, Ferrari’s president. Although he liked too much to play the one who knows everything, giving lessons to everybody, his attitude towards mafia and corruption were a breath of fresh air and remarkable. He denounced tax evaders and expelled from the association firms that had paid “il pizzo”, a “voluntary” contribution to Mafia, what people call in Sicily insurance”.

Another leading member of the industrialists association, Mr Della Valle, even told Berlusconi what he thought of him, in front of the other industrialists.

He was succeeded by Ms Marcegaglia who, on the contrary, is like a carpet in front of Berlusconi. Of course Berlusconi wants to forbid wiretapping for corruption, for example, and bankruptcy. And this is personally welcome by Ms Marcegaglia whose group recently reached a judicial agreement in the amount of 750,000 € (1.150,000 $) of fine and of 5.5 millions € (7.75 million $) of money seized and 11 months jail term for Ms,. Marcegaglia’s brother. Why ? Corruption of managers of a state owned company to win a contract.

Are these the ethics of Italian industrialists ? Is Ms. Marcegaglia representative of their way of doing business ?

Dio li fa e poi li accoppia (God makes them, then puts them together ) Italians say. No wonder she loves Berlusconi.

Source (re Marcegaglia) : M. Travaglio, L’Espresso, 19 June 2008

Picture : www.confindustria.it

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