Lombardi confirms Vatican-Italy transparency talks
(Vatican Radio) Vatican press spokesman, Fr. Federico Lombardi sj has confirmed that discussions on financial transparency are ongoing between the Holy See and Italy. Fr. Lombardi released a brief statement late Thursday in which he said discussions are underway “to collaborate with Italy and go towards the goal of greater and more complete transparency and exchange of information for tax purposes.”
The statement follows comments made by Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi who, in a lengthy interview with the Italian magazine L’Espresso, spoke of Italy’s efforts to combat tax evasion. Renzi said he hoped to reach an accord similar to those struck with Switzerland, Montecarlo and Liechtenstein to “recover a little bit of money also from the Vatican.”