Italian PM promises Alitalia 'miracle': report

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

ROME (AFP) — Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has promised a "miracle" to save cash-strapped national airline Alitalia from bankruptcy, according to an interview released on Tuesday.

Berlusconi told the weekly magazine Chi that a rescue plan to save Alitalia would be announced soon.

"We are working. We will perform another miracle and will offer Italy a profitable national company," he said in an extract released by the magazine.

The Italian government said late last month it had pulled together enough funds to rescue the airline, which has been surviving on a loan of 300 million euros (471 million dollars) made in late April from public funds after talks for Air France-KLM takeover collapsed.

The bank Intesa Sanpaolo had been given the task...