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

Italy's economy minister said on Wednesday he was confident of a green light from the EC 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.<br/>