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Property sales are no panacea for Italy's debt condition

Italy's strategy to raise around 20 billion euros ($ 22 billion) over three years by selling state assets to check financial obligation is practically particular to disappoint its targets due to persistent political and regulative hurdles, experts and authorities say.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's federal government revealed last September the initiative as part of attempts to handle a public financial obligation seen hovering around 140% of gdp in 2026. The properties earmarked for sale consist of stakes in postal service Poste Italiane and railway group Ferrovie dello Stato.

Despite attempts by succeeding governments to raise substantial funds, profits has actually balanced less than 1 billion euros a year over the last years.

As in the past, Meloni's ambitious target is made complex by the balance between the need to raise money and Rome's desire to make sure that control of key markets stays in public hands.

The prime minister is facing unwillingness from within her coalition to loosen the state's grip on business political leaders see as key civil services, officials said.

Italy has actually already scaled back plans to cut its shareholding in Poste, which is a significant company and typically holds considerable quantities of Italians' cost savings.

Since November, the Treasury has actually raised around 3 billion euros by reducing its holdings in bailed-out bank Monte dei Paschi (MPS) and energy group Eni.

However, authorities said the government's primary goal is to offer small stakes in state-controlled business to investors to increase management and profitability.

The devil is in the information, said Fabio Scacciavillani, an possession manager at Nextperience consultancy.

The sale of a federal government's stake must lead to an enhancement in the management, governance and success of the state-owned company, otherwise it results simply in the sell out of a future dividend stream to decrease the existing public debt level, however with minimal results on its sustainability.

In April, the federal government appeared to downsize its aspirations by revealing new financial obligation forecasts which factored in asset sales worth 0.7% of GDP, or 16 billion euros, below 20 billion.

The Treasury declined to supply further information when asked for clarification. Budget plan watchdog UPB said without the guaranteed disposals the financial obligation would increase to around 141% of GDP in 2026.

A current report by rating agency Scope said in the absence of fiscal modifications, Italy's debt-to-GDP ratio would be the greatest in Europe in 2028, above Greece's.

REVEALING GOODWILL

Francesco Galietti, from Rome-based political danger consultancy Policy Sonar, pointed out Treasury price quotes showing the overall financial obligation would surpass 3 trillion euros next year and stated any sell-off would not make a huge difference.

But the euro zone's third biggest economy needs to reveal goodwill as it is most likely to deal with intense analysis from European Union authorities over its financial resources after an election for the bloc's parliament this weekend, Galietti stated.

The elections will mark completion of the grace duration given to Meloni, he informed .

While the economy ministry appears positive it can push ahead with strategies to cede control of MPS, as agreed with Brussels, raising more money through other assets will be difficult, authorities said.

In the case of Ferrovie dello Stato, Rome needs to take specific regulative and legislative steps to fully disclose the group's assets and permit financier evaluation before selling part of the company.

A source with knowledge of the matter said a choice being studied proposes offering ensured and stable returns on financial investments to the train group ahead of a listing. The strategy would take several months to put in place, and the nationwide transportation authority need to be reformed to adhere to the new system.

The concept is to permit personal financiers into a company totally controlled by the state, Tullio Ferrante, a transportation undersecretary and a member of Forza Italia, informed .

(source: Reuters)