Vivendi 'awful' investor in Telecom Italia: Italian minister to paper

Thomson Reuters

MILAN (Reuters) - Vivendi has been an "awful" investor in Telecom Italia, Italy's Industry Minister Carlo Calenda told La Repubblica daily on Monday, as the French media group fights to keep its grip on Italy's biggest phone group.

Calenda defended the decision of state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) to take a stake in the phone group and added that Italy should have a single telecom network.

"CDP has intervened to support a project to turn Telecom Italia into a public company and spin off the network," the minister said, adding that CDP did not want to take control of the company.

Talking about the sale of ailing Italian carrier Alitalia, Calenda said the most promising offer was the one from Germany's Lufthansa.

(Reporting by Francesca Landini; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

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