Salvini asks 'contribution' from Intesa, UniCredit after profits soar

Deputy Premier and Transport Minister

Matteo Salvini on Friday said the government would ask Italy's

two biggest banks, Intesa Sanpaolo and UniCredit, to make a

"contribution" to the country's coffers after they both said

they would post profits of over 20 billion euros this year.

The right-wing League leader said the cash might be used to help

pay for the government's housing plan, in which it aims to make

100,000 new or revamped homes available over the next 10 years.

"Go look at the quarterly results of UniCredit and Intesa

Sanpaolo," Salvini said in Milan.

"The top two Italian banks will close this difficult year for

the vast majority of families and businesses, with a profit of

€20 billion.

"The League will ask the banks that are making unprecedented

gains and profits to contribute to the country's economic

growth. I'm convinced that the government and the League will be

uncompromising on this.

"There can't be a giant that makes money with its back covered,"

he added.

"And perhaps we'll reinvest part" of those profits in the

housing plan.

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