Sonatrach requests that “Saipem-Eni” case be transferred to Civil Court in Milan

The National Hydrocarbons Company Sonatrach has requested from the Italian Court of Milan in the case pitting it against “Saipam Eni” to transfer its claim in the case to the civil Court with the assessment of the material damage (compensation) being made in accordance with the civil court regulations and not in the criminal section, with respect to the contentious gas field with the other party at issue namely the Canadian company FARST Calgary Petroleum (FCP).

The request was made by Sonatrach’s lawyer in the case Giacomo Gualtieri at a hearing on Monday (March 5th) on Sonatrach’s legal case vs Eni Saipem.

Sonatrach’s lawyer Giacomo Gualtieri has asked that the gas field be turned into a home for Gemt, which was owned by FARCAL Calgary Petroleum and sold to Italian company Eni for C $ 920 million, to assess the material and moral damages and relevant compensation.

A source told “Echorouk” that this request is justified by the fact that the criminal division in the Italian judiciary is usually asked not to guarantee the assessment of damages and the value of material compensation. 

He pointed out that Sonatrach’s defense asked the court not to waste time to assess the compensation demanded by the company, stressing that the court’s criminal section does not usually assess well the material damage and the value of compensation resulting from it.

According to the same source, Sonatrach’s request is also justified on the grounds that the civil action  under Italian law will be behind closed doors, ie, its sessions are not open to the public, and therefore the negotiation and prosecution of compensation will take place in better and more confidential conditions. 

On the other hand, the Italian Public Tax Agency has requested  a financial compensation of up to 10 million Euros.