The negotiations on the privatization of the air carrier ITA Airways between the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and the Lufthansa aviation group could be closed by the end of the year. In fact, the formalization of a purchase offer for the Italian airline is expected within days, of which 40-49% of the capital could be sold to the Germans in the first phase.

To date, ITA Airways' valuation is around 600-650 million Euros. Lufthansa would initially put around 200 million on the plate, then 400-450 million Euros would be added over time to subsequently exercise the option to redeem the remaining part of the capital (60-51%). A quotation that is far from that of 1.4 billion Euro of last January-March period.

It is the same strategy used by Lufthansa to buy Brussels Airlines. In this case, however, the time factor plays against ITA Airways, which loses value over the months. For this reason, the Meloni Government intends to reach an agreement with Lufthansa by the end of 2022. Also because, in the event of extended negotiation, the Executive should invest another 250 million euros of public resources by March 2023, to cover the overdraft accounts of the airline.