"Up to 2012 there were Italians capable of running Ilva. These were the Rivas. For reasons that I hope will be explained in a fair trial, it was decided to remove them. This was a big mistake. Following years of talks, this mistake led to the failure of a company that in 16 years of private management had never asked the Italian State for money," Antonio Gozzi, president of Italian steelmakers association Federacciai, has stated, speaking at a meeting in Genoa.
Mr. Gozzi added, "I was critical of the Letta government and special commissioner Enrico Bondi. Today I believe that the Renzi government has understood its task quickly - not doing business plans, but rebuilding a solid property for shareholders."
At the same time, Gozzi added, "I am very worried about Ilva ending up in foreign hands." With regard to the expression of interest by ArcelorMittal and Jindal in acquiring the Taranto-based steel plant, he said, "Their strategies do not necessarily converge with those of the nation, but beggars can't be choosers. Italians alone are not able to make such an operation, because the financial dimension is too large."