🔗 Share this article Milei Statuette, Any Takers? Italy's PM to Auction Off International Gifts for Charity Passing on unneeded offerings could be considered slightly impolite – unless it's done for a noble purpose. A Charitable Auction The leader of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, plans to auction an estimated 270 presents received by her by international figures on official trips. This unusual assortment reportedly features gifts including a miniature chainsaw-holding statuette of Argentina's leader Javier Milei and a pair of exotic blue snake-skin shoes with gold heels. These items, together, have an approximate value of €800,000. They will be sold in a public auction by a Rome-based fine art auction house. A date is yet to be set, although the intention is to hold the auction during the holiday season, with the proceeds benefiting a selection of charitable causes. Palazzo Chigi Treasures The items reportedly kept in a secure area on the third floor of the government headquarters. Reports indicate that Meloni is also intending to auction off gifts given to her political forerunners that have been gathering dust over a long period. The detailed catalog remains disclosed, but some insight was gleaned earlier this year when a comprehensive document of official presents was submitted to lawmakers. The discussion raised whether a rule restricting expensive presents was being respected. According to regulation, a prime minister must declare presents valued above €300. A Global Assortment of Presents Among the items: A woven wrap from the Albanian prime minister, reportedly presented to Meloni for her birthday during a meeting abroad. A customary Indian garment from India's prime minister. A case of jewelry from the president of Slovakia. A porcelain tea set and six bottles of wine from the Hungarian prime minister. A pottery dish from the ex-American leader. A electronic pad from the Ukrainian president. Paintings from the Moldovan government. An assortment including cosmetics, a skateboard, and several rugs from trips to North African and Middle Eastern countries. "Maybe the oddest gifts included the statuette from Milei and the blue python skin shoes," observers have said. Diplomatic Context Meloni has been credited, mostly from her allies, with building relationships with global statesmen and positioning Italy as a significant player on the global scene once again. This charitable initiative highlights a unconventional way to handle the protocol gifts that are collected during a leader's tenure.