Bank CEO Criticises New Government Request for More Money
Listen to the story
Carlo Messina is the boss of Intesa Sanpaolo. Intesa is a big bank in Italy. The Italian government is making a new budget law. This law decides how the government spends money.
The government wants banks to pay another contribution. This means banks must give more money to the state. Messina says this is not a good idea. He called it incredible. This means very surprising.
Messina says banks help the country grow. He thinks the government should not treat banks this way. He says this is not how you manage relations. Relations means how two groups work together.
The Bank of Italy also spoke about the new law. It said some new rules are often small. This means they do not change much.
Messina says the government and banks need to talk. He wants a direct discussion. He thinks it is urgent. Urgent means very important and needed soon.
Many people are watching this story. Banks and the government often disagree about money. This new budget could change how banks work in Italy.
Vocabulary15 words
- bank
- a place that keeps and lends money
- budget
- a plan for spending money
- contribution
- money given to help pay for something
- incredible
- very surprising; hard to believe
- relations
- how people or groups work together
- discussion
- talking about a problem together
- urgent
- needed very soon
- government
- the group that runs a country
- grow
- to become bigger or stronger
- state
- the government of a country
- rules
- laws that tell people what to do
- manage
- to control or handle something
- boss
- the leader of a company
- money
- what people use to buy things
- law
- an official rule made by government
📚 Ready to use these words in a real conversation?
Practice live with a real tutor on Preply.
Quiz
Answer key
1. The head of Intesa Sanpaolo 2. Another contribution 3. Yes
✅ Nice work on the quiz!
Keep the momentum going — book a live English lesson with a Preply tutor.
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Carlo Messina is the boss of _____. Intesa is a big bank in Italy.
The government is making a new _____ law.
The government wants banks to pay another _____.
Messina says this is not a good idea. He called it _____.
Messina says banks help the country _____.
He says this is not how you manage _____.
The Bank of Italy said new rules are often _____.
Messina wants a direct _____ with the government.
He thinks it is _____.
This new budget could change how banks work in _____.
🎓 Enjoyed this story?
Turn today's reading into real speaking practice with a live Preply tutor.