Rome — German airline Lufthansa has once again gained access to data of Ita Airways in the sale of the state-owned Italian airline.

"The dataroom is open. Lufthansa is interested," Italian Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said during a government press conference on Tuesday. His ministry currently owns Ita and is handling the sale.

The Italian government is aiming to find a stable industrial partner that will guarantee a secure future for Alitalia's successor airline, he added.

Meanwhile, the container and cruise giant MSC has withdrawn from the race for Ita for the time being. Citing a company statement, several media reported that the group was no longer interested in the privatization of Ita Airways.

Lufthansa did not comment on this and pointed out that it was still interested in Ita.

MSC and Lufthansa had previously made a joint bid to buy 80% of Ita's shares. MSC would have taken the lion's share.

Under the previous Italian government of former ECB head Mario Draghi the US fund Certares was given the go-ahead for further negotiations with the Italians. These, however, did not lead to a result.

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