The revelation of money laundering at the NLB bank is slowly moving to the European stage, and in the future this issue will need to be considered by the European Commission as well. Today, MEP Romana Tomc addressed a question to the Commission concerning the developments at NLB, the decision of the Slovenian government to halt the sale of the bank, and of course the great scandal Slovenia is dealing with at the moment, i.e. the money laundering at NLB, which happened at a time when an EU Council Decision put an embargo on transactions with the Export Development Bank of Iran (EDBI).
“With the rehabilitation of the banking system, Slovenia committed to sell the bank Nova Ljubljanska banka (NLB) by the end of 2017. Today’s decision of the Slovenian government with regards to the sale of NLB suggests that the sale has been halted or that obstacles have been created that will prevent a sale. The commission of inquiry of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia has discovered traces of money laundering at NLB. Apparently, transfers of approximately $1 billion were made from the Iranian state bank at a time when an embargo had been imposed by the EU Council Decision No 668/2010.
The findings of the commission show that in the past NLB did not just provide controversial credits to tycoons that led to the need for recapitalisation but was also involved in money laundering. This has created additional aggravating circumstances with regards to the sale.
- Does the European Commission (EC) still insist on a sale of NLB? What were the concrete commitments of Slovenia with regards to the sale?
- Were there any divergences or different agreements between the Slovenian government and the EC, and if so, when did they occur?
- How would the EC comment on the discoveries of the inquiry commission concerning money laundering? Has the EC ever been informed of this?
- Has the EC taken any actions, and if so, what actions? What further actions will the EC take should the Slovenian government not deliver on its promise regarding the sale?”
M.P.