The Treasury could sell 10% of Eni and Enel to reduce public debt. The newspaper La Repubblica writes today, specifying that public control over the two groups would be ensured through the system of multiple voting shares.
The operation is reportedly being studied by the Minister of the Economy, Pier Carlo Padoan, but according to the newspaper, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is not yet convinced.
In any case, the transfers would not be immediate, but would eventually start in the second half of the four-year privatization plan, i.e. not before 2016.
Public debt was around 120% of gross product in 2011 and, according to estimates by the Economic and Financial Document (Def), will rise to 134,9% this year.
On the other hand, the state does not need to maintain its controlling stake above 30%, in its largest listed companies: it can go down another 10% without fearing hostile takeovers by foreign investors.
