The revelation was made by the dean of Vatican journalists, Benny Lai, in his book "Vatican Finances. From Pius XI to Benedict XVI" (published by Rubettino, pp. 160, Euro 12), on sale in bookstores.
Lai, an authoritative Vatican observer and analyst and the author of a number of books, has often dealt with the subject of the economic and financial management of the Holy See’s patrimony.
He has also had the opportunity to meet and interview key players of the past and present, who have confided in him.
In the book’s final chapter, on the pontificate of Benedict XVI and the transparency operation launched in recent years, Benny Lai describes the events and internal debate which led the Holy See to undergo Moneyval’s financial assessment. Moneyval’s concluding report - which gave the Holy See a general pass, recognising the significant steps forward made within a relatively short period of time but also underlining certain areas for improvement – was published on 18 July this year.
In his book, Lai recalls how the impetus for the adoption of anti-money laundering laws that are in line with international standards was given in 2009 by the Council of the European Union which decided to renegotiate the Monetary Agreement with the Principality of Monaco, the Republic of San Marino and the Vatican City State in relation to the recycling of proceeds from criminal activities and the financing of terrorism.
Initially, Lai writes in his book, “in Brussels, there was talk of the new monetary convention kicking off at the beginning of 2011.
But such a delay would have caused huge financial loses to the Vatican Governorate as monetization in Euros would have been suspended, preventing it from selling collectable coinage.
Lai, who holds a Vatican Press Office pass card signed by the then Substitute of the Secretary of State Giovanni Battista Montini, writes that it was in this context that Mgr. Viganò suggested the Holy See be unhooked from the Euro.
Indeed, the Secretary of the Governorate did not agree that Europe should enter the Vatican.
“An isolated stance – Benny Lai writes – which perhaps shows little awareness of the consequences of this, seeing as the issue, which Viganò picked up on a second time, was contested by Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo who was his superior at the time.
As is known, the final decision was that announced in Benedict XVI’s motu proprio of 30 December 2010, in which he confirmed that all Holy See dicasteries, including the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR) have supposedly been operating in line with international criteria.