Italy’s government will auction television frequencies which former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had wanted to give away, a minister was quoted as saying by La Repubblica daily yesterday.

I do not think it is a good idea to give state assets for free

“I do not think it is a good idea to give away state assets for free,” Economic Development Minister Corrado Passera said.

An estimate cited by La Repubblica said the sale could bring in between €1 billion and €1.2 billion.

Mr Berlusconi had decided to give out the six digital television frequencies away for free, a move that had been condemned as a conflict of interest by the opposition because of his control of the Mediaset television empire.

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