Lufthansa (DLAKY.US) is close to acquiring the Italian airline ITA.

According to sources, German airline Lufthansa (DLAKY.US) and the Italian government are at odds over the price of acquiring ITA Airways and are expected to finalize the purchase of this loss-making airline as early as Monday local time. Sources said that negotiations were close to completion on Monday evening, with the biggest point of disagreement resolved. Last week, Lufthansa requested a discount on the previously agreed price of 325 million euros (equivalent to 346 million US dollars) to acquire 41% of ITA's shares, as the value of ITA had declined since the original 2023 agreement, but the deal hit an unexpected obstacle. The Italian government opposed the discount, putting the transaction in uncertainty in the final stages. However, sources said that negotiations were close to completion on Monday evening, with the biggest point of disagreement resolved, but they refused to provide details. Foreign media outlets were unable to immediately contact representatives of Lufthansa, the Italian Ministry of Finance, or CKH Holdings ITA Airways for comment. It is reported that selling ITA will allow Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to relieve herself of the management responsibilities of ITA's predecessor, Alitalia. For decades, this Italian airline has been consuming national resources.