Italy: Privatizations Will Slow in New Year

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said on Tuesday he doesn't see scope for many more privatisations in the country, adding the government would not cut its stake in energy group Eni.

"I don't imagine the government could reduce (its stake) in Eni," Renzi said during his end of the year press conference.

Italy, which has the second-largest public debt in the euro zone, sold a stake in the national post office in October, pocketing more than 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) to trim its debt.

The Treasury has recently said it would sell a minority stake in air traffic controller Enav and national railway group Ferrovie dello Stato, but it is not clear whether those two disposals will be finalised by the end of next year.

Reporting by Paolo Biondi