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Passing on unwanted gifts could be viewed as a little discourteous – unless it's done in the proper manner.

A Philanthropic Auction

The Italian premier, Giorgia Meloni, is set to sell a reported 270 items bestowed upon her by international figures while abroad. The diverse haul is said to contain items such as a chainsaw-wielding statuette of Argentinian president Javier Milei and a pair of blue python skin shoes with gilded heels.

The presents, together, have an approximate value of €800,000. The plan is to auctioned off via competitive bidding by a Italian art dealer. A date is yet to be set, although the aim is to hold the auction before Christmas, with the revenue donated to a selection of charitable causes.

Storage Room Treasures

The presents are said to be locked away in a storage room on the third floor of the government headquarters. Sources state that Meloni additionally planning to auction off gifts given to her preceding prime ministers that have been stored away over a long period.

A complete inventory remains made public, but some insight were revealed earlier this year when a comprehensive document of official presents was presented in parliament. The question focused on if a statutory cap on gift value was being honored. According to regulation, a prime minister must declare presents valued above €300.

An International Array of Presents

Notable gifts feature:

• A silk accessory 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 box of jewellery from the Slovakian president.
• A fine china tea service and six bottles of wine from the Hungarian prime minister.
• A ceramic bowl from the ex-American leader.
• A tablet from the Ukrainian president.
• Paintings from the Moldovan government.
• An assortment including cosmetics, a board, and several rugs received during trips to Libya and other Arab nations.

"Perhaps the oddest gifts included the statuette from Milei and the blue python skin shoes," observers have said.

Political Context

Supporters have applauded Meloni, mostly from within her party, with building relationships with global statesmen and making Italy as a prominent force on the international platform once again.

This charitable initiative represents a unconventional way to manage the protocol gifts that are collected during a time in office.