Relinquishing unneeded gifts could be viewed as slightly impolite – unless it's done for a noble purpose.
Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, is set to sell a reported 270 items bestowed upon her by world leaders on official trips. The eclectic collection could include items such as a miniature chainsaw-holding statuette of Argentinian president Javier Milei and a pair of exotic blue snake-skin shoes with gilded heels.
These items, combined, are valued at around €800,000. They are scheduled to be put up for sale via competitive bidding by a Rome-based auction firm. An exact timeline remains to be announced, although the goal is to hold the auction during the holiday season, with all funds raised donated to various charities.
The presents reportedly stored in a secure area on the third floor of the government headquarters. Sources state that Meloni is also intending to auction off gifts given to her predecessors that have been sitting unused for years.
A complete inventory remains officially released, but a glimpse was gleaned earlier this year when a detailed register of official presents was presented in parliament. The query raised if a legal value limit was being respected. By law, a prime minister cannot take home presents exceeding €300.
Among the items:
"Possibly the most unusual gifts were the statuette from Milei and the blue python skin shoes," reports suggest.
The prime minister has received praise, particularly from her own political sphere, with building relationships with global statesmen and making Italy as a prominent force on the international platform once again.
This charitable initiative represents a novel approach to deal with the protocol gifts that are collected during a political career.
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