The European Union and the Meloni government take the field against the nationalization of the Russian branch of Ariston Group. Vladimir Putin’s decision against the Italian company, taken by surprise the other day, appears destined to have significant consequences, so much so that the Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, has summoned the Russian ambassador in the capital to the Farnesina for the next few days to express the executive’s protest: a step that has significant value in diplomatic practice. And this while a note with harsh and definitive tones arrives from Brussels: “Moscow’s interventions are yet another proof of Russia’s contempt for international law and rules. Revoke the measures adopted”.
The Kremlin tsar’s decision arrived late on Friday evening: Putin decided to transfer – although defined as “temporary” – the Russian branch of the Italian company (together with the German Bosch) to Gazprom Domestic Systems, the company of the Russian state group Gazprom manufacturer of household appliances.
The government’s reaction was immediate, with Tajani attacking the other evening (“The Italian government is at the side of companies, ready to protect them in all international markets”) and yesterday morning having Moscow’s ambassador to Italy summoned to the Farnesina, Alexey Paramonov, to “ask for clarification on the nationalization” of Ariston Thermo Rus Llc, ensuring that he works “also with Brussels and in conjunction with Germany”.
It is no coincidence that Brussels’ stance arrives shortly after, with the EU External Action Service: “Russia continues to adopt measures against European Union companies operating in the country. A Russian company, part of the Gazprom group, has now placed subsidiaries of Italian and German companies under temporary external management. These measures, which target legitimate economic activities, are yet another proof of Russia’s contempt for international law and rules confirms an unpredictable actor also in the economic field”. Therefore: “Revoke these measures and seek acceptable solutions with European companies.”
After the invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin placed the assets of a handful of Western companies under “temporary management” (in the past this had also affected the Russian subsidiaries of France’s Danone and Denmark’s Carlsberg) in retaliation for sanctions on Russian companies . But the Ariston Group itself said it was “extremely surprised” by Putin’s initiative, undertaken without the group being “informed in advance”, after almost 20 years of “very correct relations with local institutions”. And “while waiting for an explanation – we read in a note – we evaluate its implications, including governance and managerial ones”.
The Minister of Business and Made in Italy is also moving: “The government – explains Adolfo Urso, who spoke with the president of Ariston, Paolo Merloni, and with the governor of the Marche, Francesco Acquaroli – will certainly do everything that is in our availability to protect this important and significant Italian company, which has its national production center right in the Marche (in Fabriano), in a sector such as that of household appliances in which we are engaged because it is one of the driving sectors of Made in Italy “. The three will speak again “on Monday in a call”, Urso said, explaining that on the same day there will be a meeting with the ambassador to the Farnesina, from whom the government expects to “understand what exactly it is about” and ” what the development of the situation is.”
“Great concern and profound solidarity” towards Ariston Group was also expressed by the mayor of Fabriano, Daniela Ghergo. “Putin’s decision is yet another demonstration of how war also determines the economy” commented Piepaolo Pullini, of the Fiom provincial secretariat of Ancona.
