Italy’s right-wing leader opposes plan to sell state carrier ITA

The Italian government’s plan to sell the airline that emerged from the ashes of troubled former flag carrier Alitalia may be dead on arrival. The plan to potentially sell state carrier ITA Airways to an investor group including Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines Inc. was opposed by Giorgia Meloni, the leader of the right-wing bloc that’s expected to win the upcoming general elections. “I don’t understand why the Italian government deliberately chose to move forward without waiting for the next government,” Meloni told reporters at a campaign event Wednesday in Pescara, Italy. “We’ve spent billions on the airline and now we’re handing it over to foreign funds without an industrial plan for the airports.” Earlier in the day, Italy’s Finance Ministry said it planned to start exclusive talks with the group led by the Certares investment fund, selecting it over a rival bid from a team that included Lufthansa. The two bidding groups had spent months jockeying for position in the contest for the airline. PM Mario Draghi said earlier this month that the non-binding selection process would go ahead regardless of elections. <br/>