Getting rid of unneeded offerings could be viewed as a little discourteous – except if it's done in the proper manner.
The leader of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, plans to auction a reported 270 presents received by her by international figures during her travels. The eclectic collection reportedly features gifts including a chainsaw-wielding statuette of Argentinian president Javier Milei and a pair of blue python skin shoes with gold heels.
The collection, together, are valued at around €800,000. They will be auctioned off via competitive bidding by a Rome-based fine art auction house. A date has not been finalized, although the aim is to conduct the sale before Christmas, with the revenue donated to non-profit organizations.
The presents are said to be kept in a secure area on the third floor of the prime minister's official office. Sources state that Meloni additionally intending to auction off gifts given to her political forerunners that have been gathering dust indefinitely.
The full gift list is yet to be made public, but some insight emerged earlier this year when a comprehensive document of official presents was submitted to lawmakers. The question focused on if a rule restricting expensive presents was being honored. According to regulation, a prime minister cannot take home presents worth more than €300.
Among the items:
"Maybe the strangest gifts were the Milei figurine and the blue python skin shoes," one might note.
The prime minister has received praise, mostly from her allies, with building relationships with international counterparts and positioning Italy as a key protagonist on the international platform once again.
This charitable initiative symbolizes a novel approach to manage the diplomatic artifacts that build up during a political career.
