MALOFEEV, ALREADY KNOWN FOR SUPPORTING ULTRA-RIGHT POLITICIANS IN EUROPE, IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CATEKHON ANALYTICAL CENTER. BOTH "KATEKHON" AND "TSARGRAD" PROMOTE THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE RIGHT-RADICAL IDEOLOGIST ALEXANDER DUGIN.

 

Plan to transfer several million euros from Russia to Italy's ruling Liga party

revealed By Craig Shaw theblacksea.eu4 min

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Gianluca Savoini has been looking for a suitable Russian energy company for a fuel deal since mid-2018. Prior to Rosneft, Savoini was in contact with Alexei Mustafinov, head of Avangard Oil & Gas, whose name rarely appears in the press. The company's office is in the same building as the Christian Orthodox media group Tsargrad and the Marshall Capital fund, both founded by oligarch Konstantin Malofeev.

Malofeev, already known for his support of far-right politicians in Europe, is the chairman of the Katehon think tank. Both Katehon and Tsargrad promote the philosophy of right-wing radical ideologue Alexander Dugin.

According to the authors of the book, Mustafinov sent an offer to Savoini to sell a large consignment of fuel. On September 25, Alexander Dugin met with Savoini on Via del Babuino, in the center of Rome, to discuss Salvini's trip to Moscow for the Confindustria conference.

According to the sources of Titian and Vergine, a month later, in the evening after the Confindustria conference, Salvini secretly met with Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Kozak. The meeting took place in the office of Vladimir Pligin, a lawyer and member of the State Duma. Pligin is a former classmate of Kozak, and in January 2019 he is the Deputy Chairman of the Commission of the Presidium of the General Council of the United Russia on international activities. After the meeting, all the participants had dinner together.

Salvini, who publishes almost exhaustively his political activities on social media, does not explain why the meeting with Kozak did not appear in his posts. But the next day, Savoini arrived at the Metropol Hotel. Titian and Vergine, who were also in the Metropolis that day and could have watched the meeting, describe how Savoini sat down at a table with Ilya Yakunin, a manager of a company close to Pligina (who had had a meeting between Salvini and Kozak the day before), a Russian interpreter, an Italian a lawyer and an Italian named Francesco.

The company began a leisurely conversation. Very soon, Savoini began to praise Salvini's "sovereignty", his friendship with Putin and his good attitude towards Russia. He explained Italy's geopolitical strategy: “The new Europe must be closer to Russia. We should no longer depend on the “enlightened” decisions of Brussels and the US.”

“We want to change Europe, together with our allies, such as Heinz-Christian Strache (Vice Chancellor, Chairman of the Freedom Party in Austria, Alternative for Germany Party, Ms. Le Pen in France, Orban in Hungary (Prime Minister and leader of the Fidesz Party ) and the Swedish Democrats, "Savoini continued.

After that, the conversation turned to the fuel deal. Savoini listened while the lawyers talked about the details of selling fuel from Russia to Italy. The proposal was similar to the July plan of Alexei Mustafinov. But the Avangard company is no longerRosneft

, a company 50% state-owned and 20% owned by British BP, to sell three million tons of fuel to Italian state-owned energy company Eni, with delivery of six months to one year. An Italian lawyer at the meeting said that Eni could buy more if needed.

Details followed about how Rosneft would give a 4% discount from the international Platts International Oil Price Index. This time, the Russians said they wanted to cut the price even further, by 6%. The new 2% will be returned to them. Savoini admitted that this could serve as a guarantee: "They take 400 ... they will definitely take it away, but there will be a guarantee." Eni will not make the payment directly to Rosneft, but through an unnamed European bank and a Russian law firm.

After thirty minutes of discussions between the Italian and Russian lawyers, the political goal of the deal was also voiced. “The plan of our political friends is very simple,” said the Italian lawyer. - “4% discount is 250 thousand euros per month for one year. That way they can support their campaign.” After that, he added, “This is purely politics. We want to finance the election campaign, and this is desirable for both sides”,

According to the evidence obtained by the author of the book, the “League” would receive 250 thousand euros per month for a year - only three million euros - which the party would use to finance the election campaign in the European parliamentary elections. They admit that by the time the meeting was over, many issues had still not been resolved - neither the type of fuel, nor the possible ports of delivery, Rotterdam or Novorossiysk.

Another open question is where the Russian side's money will go. The Russians advised Rosneft to use the local branch of the Italian bank Intesa. The Italians assured the interpreter and Yakunin that they had their own man in the bank's administration there: "His name is Masketti." Andrea Maschetti is director of the Moscow branch of Intesa Bank.

According to the book by Titian and Vergine, in December Savoini again came to Moscow, to the office at Novinsky Boulevard, 31. No one knows what the conversation was about at the meeting. Whether the plans and the entire fuel deal came true is also unknown.

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