🔗 Share this article

Passing on unneeded gifts might be considered a little discourteous – unless it's done the right way.

A Charitable Clear-Out

Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, is set to sell a reported 270 items bestowed upon her by international figures during her travels. This unusual assortment is said to contain objects like a chainsaw-wielding statuette of Argentinian president Javier Milei and a pair of exotic blue snake-skin shoes with gold heels.

The presents, collectively, are valued at around €800,000. They will be put up for sale in a public auction by a Rome-based fine art auction house. A date has not been finalized, but the intention is to conduct the sale during the holiday season, with all funds raised benefiting non-profit organizations.

Palazzo Chigi Holdings

These gifts are currently locked away in a secure area on the third floor of the government headquarters. Reports indicate that Meloni additionally intending to auction off gifts received by her preceding prime ministers that have been gathering dust for years.

The detailed catalog has not yet been disclosed, but some insight emerged earlier this year when a comprehensive document of official presents was presented in parliament. The discussion centered on if a statutory cap on gift value was being followed. Legally, a prime minister must declare presents exceeding €300.

An International Assortment of Presents

Notable gifts feature:

• A scarf from the Albanian prime minister, allegedly presented to Meloni for her birthday during a meeting abroad.
• A sari from Kerala from the Indian leader.
• A box of jewellery from the Slovakian president.
• A porcelain tea set and six bottles of wine from the Hungarian prime minister.
• A ceramic bowl from the former US president.
• A digital device from the leader of Ukraine.
• Paintings from the Moldovan government.
• Additional objects including cosmetics, a board, and several rugs from trips to Libya and other Arab nations.

"Maybe the oddest gifts included the statuette from Milei and the exotic footwear," one might note.

Political Context

Supporters have applauded Meloni, mainly from within her party, with building relationships with international counterparts and making Italy as a prominent force on the world stage once again.

The forthcoming sale symbolizes a unconventional way to deal with the protocol gifts that are collected during a time in office.