On Ilva "this is not going well, there is a need for a change of pace within a few days". The premier, Matteo Renzi, said it today, speaking at the direction of the Democratic Party.
The words of the Prime Minister came while, according to sources from the Reuters agency, a meeting was underway at the Ministry of Economic Development between Federica Guidi, holder of the ministry, and representatives of the global steel giant ArcelorMittal to discuss the Ilva dossier, commissioner for a year by the government to provide for the environmental reclamation of the Taranto plants.
In recent weeks, ArcelorMittal sources have spoken of a general interest by the company in Ilva, the leading Italian steel producer and one of the most important in Europe. Interest was also expressed by Marcegaglia - an important customer of Ilva - and by the Italian competitor Arvedi.
Also this afternoon, Guidi has two other appointments: first with representatives of the Riva family, owner of Ilva, then with a new table on the steel industry with the participation of trade unions and trade associations.
Meanwhile, the Government is committed to finding a solution to support the relaunch of the Italian company and Renzi's words suggest that the situation could soon be unblocked. In recent days there seems to have been an acceleration on the part of the Executive, grappling with the Ilva industrial plan presented by Commissioner Enrico Bondi and with the need for a bridging loan to avoid the company crisis, estimated by the Commissioner at around one billion euros.
Yesterday Claudio Riva, son of the recently deceased patron Emilio, said that the family intends to participate in the relaunch of Ilva with the capital increase, while specifying that it needs other partners, but asked the Government to reject the industrial plan of Bondi and to be able to express his opinion on the governance of the company.
Renzi also spoke today of another delicate industrial dossier, the one concerning Alitalia, stating that the negotiation with Etihad "has come to a head, it is now a matter of hours".
