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February 26, 2018The requests for conviction by the judges arrive for the inquiry into the alleged bribes paid by Saipem - Eni in Algeria, which would have been paid to secure the favors of the local government. The Milan Public Prosecutor, Isidoro Palma, asked for 6 years and 4 months in prison for Paolo Scaroni, former CEO of Eni, among the defendants for international corruption (with the aggravating circumstance of transnationality) for having paid money to the then Minister of Algerian energy, Chakib Khelil, in exchange for contracts. Asked also for 900 thousand euros for Eni's sanction and for Saipem, at the dock as institutions, and 8 years for Farid Noureddine Bedjaoui, trustee of the then member of the government, considered with his entourage the recipient of the bribes.

In his indictment the Palma Palma quoted the "evidence" on the alleged corruptive payments that he called the "invitation to tender" paid by Saipem "to undermine the opponents". At the center of the process there is an alleged payment of 197 million euros in bribes to get Saipem in the North African country for 8 billion euros and to get Eni to have the Algerian Minister of Energy authorized to buy the company Canadian Firs Calgary Petroleums, owner of the rights for the exploitation of an Algerian field and to extend the concession on the same. The disputed facts occurred between 2007 and 2010, a period in which the top companies of the two companies were Scaroni and the former president of Saipem, Pietro Tali. All the defendants have always rejected all charges.