Italy confident on EU go-ahead over ITA-Lufthansa tie-up, minister says

Reuters

8 May 2024 at 3:29 am·1-min read

FILE PHOTO: G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors' Meeting in Niigata

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's economy minister said on Wednesday he was confident of a green light from the European Commission to Lufthansa's purchase of a stake in Italy's ITA Airways.

The German airline is looking to buy a 41% stake in state-owned ITA - Alitalia's successor - but has so far failed to persuade the Commission, the EU's antitrust regulator, to clear the bid.

"I am confident, otherwise I would not do this job... Let's hope the referee will not make any mistakes," Giancarlo Giorgetti said, referring to EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager, when answering a question on whether she would give her approval to the airlines' tie-up.

(Reporting by Giuseppe Fonte, writing by Giulia Segreti, editing by Cristina Carlevaro)

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