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Italy downsize plans to sell stake in Poste.

Italy will retain 51% of Poste Italiane, the Treasury informed unions on Thursday, scaling back a previous strategy to cut the state's stake in the postal service to as low as 35% from 64% presently.

The move highlights the federal government's troubles in appreciating its pledge to use possession sales to rein in Italy's. massive public financial obligation.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced a decree in January. to permit the Treasury to dispose all or part of its 29.3% stake. in Poste while maintaining control through another 35% stake held. by state lending institution Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP).

However after facing extensive criticism for offering part of a. key public service, Italy now plans to examine the decree to. place a smaller stake in Poste, the Treasury said in a conference. with trade unions.

We have actually been ensured that the state will never ever go below. 51%, trade union Cisl representative Raffaele Roscigno informed. press reporters.

The downscaled sale becomes part of Rome's programme to raise. about 0.7% of GDP from possession sales in between 2025 and 2027 to suppress. among the world's highest public debts in relation to domestic. output.

Italy's debt, the 2nd greatest in the euro zone after. Greece, is seen soaring towards 140% of output through 2026. before starting decreasing marginally the following year.

The last decree is anticipated to be embraced in the next 3. weeks, Roscigno stated, adding that it would supply incentives to. encourage Poste workers to buy the business's shares and. preserve a broad investor base.

Italy raised 3.1 billion euros ($ 3.35 billion) in 2015 by. selling a 35% Poste stake in an initial public offering that. valued the group at 8.8 billion euros. Poste is now worth 16.5. billion euros.

Treasury would then pocket just above 2 billion euros from. the sale of roughly 13% of Poste.

Unions remain careful after the Treasury announcement, with. the CGIL trade union calling on the federal government to desert any. plans for divestment.

Sale would be a really bad deal for the nation, said. Fabrizio Solari from CGIL.

Unions argue that proceeds stemming from any sale would in. any case be lower than the dividends paid by Poste over a. long-lasting horizon.

Poste plans to pay 6.5 billion euros in dividends. in between 2024 and 2028, up from the 3.8 billion euros it. distributed over the previous five years.

In its drive to raise money, Italy pocketed 3 billion euros. given that November 2023 via the sales of stakes in bailed out bank. Monte dei Paschi (MPS) and energy group Eni.

(source: Reuters)