Vatican: New appointments to Financial Information Authority
(Vatican Radio) Vatican Press Office director, Fr. Federico Lombardi made the following
statement Wednesday regarding appointments to the Financial Information Authority,
the body that oversees the Vatican’s financial institutions:
Francesco
De Pasquale named to the Board of Directors of the Financial Information Authority
(AIF) and Rene Bruelhart appointed the new AIF Director.
Francesco
De Pasquale came to the Vatican after extensive experience at the Ufficio Italiano
Cambi and the Bank of Italy and has been Director of the Financial Information Authority
(AIF) since June of 2011. He has been named a member of the board of AIF, which in
addition to the President, Cardinal Nicora, includes Prof. Condemi, Prof. Dalla Torre,
Prof. Bianchi and Dott. Testa.
Cardinal Nicora has named Rene Bruelhart to
succeed De Pasquale. Bruelhart, former director of the Financial Intelligence Unit
(FIU) of Liechtenstein and Vice-President of the Egmont Group, the international network
of FIUs, has been an adviser to the Holy See and Vatican City since September in matters
relating to anti-money laundering and financing of terrorism.
With the promotion
of De Pasquale to the Board of Directors and the nomination of Bruelhart to Director,
AIF has strengthened its internal organization. This represents one more step in the
effort to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism.