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Passing on undesired gifts might be viewed as a little discourteous – except if it's done in the proper manner.

A Charitable Clear-Out

The leader of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, will offload around 270 presents received by her by foreign dignitaries while abroad. The diverse haul could include items such as a chainsaw-wielding statuette of Argentinian president Javier Milei and a pair of exotic blue snake-skin shoes with gilded heels.

The collection, together, have an approximate value of €800,000. They are scheduled to be auctioned off in a public auction by a Rome-based auction firm. The specific date is yet to be set, although the aim is to conduct the sale by year's end, with the revenue benefiting a selection of charitable causes.

Palazzo Chigi Holdings

These gifts reportedly stored in a secure area on the upper level of Palazzo Chigi. Sources state that Meloni furthermore planning to auction off gifts given to her predecessors that have been sitting unused indefinitely.

A complete inventory is yet to be made public, but partial details emerged earlier this year when an 11-page list of all declared gifts was presented in parliament. The question centered on if a statutory cap on gift value was being followed. Legally, a prime minister must declare presents worth more than €300.

An International Array of Gifts

The collection includes:

• A woven wrap from the Albanian prime minister, allegedly presented to Meloni for her birthday during a meeting abroad.
• A sari from Kerala from the Indian leader.
• A set of adornments from the president of Slovakia.
• A porcelain tea set and six bottles of wine from Hungary's leader.
• A ceramic bowl from the former US president.
• A digital device from the leader of Ukraine.
• Paintings from the Moldovan government.
• Various other items including cosmetics, a board, and numerous carpets received during trips to North African and Middle Eastern countries.

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

Political Backdrop

Meloni has been credited, mainly from her allies, with building relationships with international counterparts and re-establishing Italy as a prominent force on the international platform once again.

This unique auction highlights a unconventional way to deal with the state presents that build up during a leader's tenure.