The economic and political leaders of the Italian state all seem to agree: in the context of the great corporate maneuvers involving Telecom Italia, the government must take steps to protect the national interest.
On Telefonica "I think Bassanini and Giacomelli both said wise words". Thus Graziano Delrio, undersecretary to the Prime Minister, commented today on the utterances of the number one of the CDP, Franco Bassanini, and of the undersecretary for economic development with responsibility for telecommunications, Antonelo Giacomelli, on the offer of the Spanish group to acquire Gvt, a Brazilian subsidiary by Vivendi.
As part of this operation, Telefonica also offered the French 8,3% of Telecom Italia, i.e. the majority stake which – after the demerger of Telco and the delivery of the shares linked to the convertible bond – will also correspond to the entire participation of the Iberian group in the capital of the Italian company.
According to Bassanini, we are facing "a hostile act towards Telecom Italia by its major shareholder, to block the Gvt-Tim Brasil merger". The president of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti then wondered if the initiative "doesn't raise a national problem".
Giacomelli also intervened on the matter yesterday: “We are neither passive nor intrusive – said the undersecretary -. The Government is following the matter carefully and is determined to pursue the general interest of the country".
