Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has decided to auction off gifts received from foreign leaders during official visits abroad.
Among the items for sale is a scarf gifted by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Meloni’s 48th birthday. Italian law prohibits officials from keeping gifts valued over €300, requiring such items to be sold to the public.
The total value of the gifts is estimated at around €800,000, according to media reports. The items will be managed by Bertolami Fine Art, an auction house in Rome. While a full list of the 270+ items has not yet been released, they are stored in a secure room at Palazzo Chigi, according to la Repubblica.
The first gift dates back to the G20 Summit in Bali in 2022: a traditional women’s garment from Kerala, India, presented by President Narendra Modi. Other notable items include a fabric statue from deputy Michele Emiliano, two metal bracelets, four paintings, a metal plate, a necklace, a ring, and earrings.
Additional pieces feature blue python shoes from a Saudi designer, vases, jewelry, and a note stored in red suitcases. Gifts also include carpets from Libya and other Arab countries, a porcelain tea set from Viktor Orbán, and a ceramic bowl from Joe Biden.
The auction will also feature a traditional costume donated by former Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu.
