Milei Statuette, Any Takers? Meloni to Auction Off International Gifts for Good Cause
Getting rid of unwanted offerings can be considered a little discourteous – except if it's done the right way.
A Philanthropic Sale
Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, will offload a reported 270 gifts given to her by foreign dignitaries during her travels. This unusual assortment reportedly features items such as a chainsaw-wielding statuette of Argentina's leader Javier Milei and a pair of blue python skin shoes with gilded heels.
These items, collectively, are worth an estimated €800,000. The plan is to sold to the highest bidder by a Italian fine art auction house. A date is yet to be set, but the aim is to conduct the sale during the holiday season, with all funds raised benefiting non-profit organizations.
Storage Room Collection
The presents reportedly locked away in a storage room on the third floor of the prime minister's official office. Sources state that Meloni additionally planning to auction off gifts received by her predecessors that have been sitting unused indefinitely.
The full gift list remains made public, but a glimpse were revealed earlier this year when a detailed register of official presents was presented in parliament. The discussion centered on whether a statutory cap on gift value was being followed. Legally, a prime minister must declare presents valued above €300.
A Global Assortment of Presents
The collection includes:
- A scarf from the Albanian prime minister, allegedly presented to Meloni for her birthday during a meeting abroad.
- A customary Indian garment from the Indian leader.
- A case of jewelry from the Slovakian president.
- A porcelain tea set and six bottles of wine from the Hungarian prime minister.
- A pottery dish from the ex-American leader.
- A tablet from the leader of Ukraine.
- Paintings from the Moldovan government.
- Additional objects including makeup, a board, and several rugs from trips to North African and Middle Eastern countries.
"Maybe the most unusual gifts were the Milei figurine and the blue python skin shoes," reports suggest.
Diplomatic Context
Meloni has been credited, particularly from within her party, with winning over international counterparts and positioning Italy as a key protagonist on the world stage once again.
The forthcoming sale represents a novel approach to handle the protocol gifts that accumulate during a political career.
