The Italian Minister of Economy and Finance (Mef), Giancarlo Giorgetti, sole shareholder of the national carrier ITA Airways, has recently confirmed the rumors of recent weeks: the examination of the documents regarding the marriage with the Germans of Lufthansa will continue until May 2024. In short, Brussels wants to see clearly about the privatization of the Italian airline and will therefore go beyond 'phase 1', which ends in mid-January.

"Europe has put another stop to ITA-Lufthansa. They have made us understand that we are going to 'phase two'. So further months of in-depth analysis will be needed, after having done exactly everything that had been prescribed, again by the same Commission European Union. The fact that more time is wasted is not a positive thing". Furthermore, "according to Brussels there are" competition problems, Minister Giorgetti explained in recent days.

This is the reply from a Lufthansa spokesperson, heard by the Italian newspaper "il Corriere della Sera": "We are in close and constructive dialogue with all parties involved, but we do not comment on speculation on the outcome of the Commission's verification. We continue to believe that the European Union will make a decision as soon as possible". 

On the topic, see also the article published by AVIONEWS.