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Passing on unneeded presents can be seen as slightly impolite – except if it's done the right way.

A Philanthropic Clear-Out

The Italian premier, Giorgia Meloni, is set to sell an estimated 270 items bestowed upon her by foreign dignitaries on official trips. This unusual assortment is said to contain items such as a miniature chainsaw-holding statuette of Argentinian president Javier Milei and a pair of exotic blue snake-skin shoes with gilded heels.

The presents, together, have an approximate value of €800,000. They will be put up for sale to the highest bidder by a Italian fine art auction house. A date is yet to be set, but the aim is to hold the auction by year's end, with the revenue going to non-profit organizations.

Storage Room Treasures

These gifts are said to be kept in a storage room on the upper level of Palazzo Chigi. Reports indicate that Meloni additionally planning to auction off gifts received by her political forerunners that have been stored away over a long period.

The full gift list has not yet been made public, but a glimpse was gleaned earlier this year when an 11-page list of official presents was reviewed by officials. The question focused on if a statutory cap on gift value was being respected. According to regulation, a prime minister cannot take home presents valued above €300.

An International Array of Gifts

The collection includes:

• A woven wrap from the Albanian prime minister, reportedly given to Meloni for her birthday during a meeting abroad.
• A customary Indian garment from the Indian leader.
• A box of jewellery from the Slovakian president.
• A fine china tea service and a selection of wines from the Hungarian prime minister.
• A ceramic bowl from the former US president.
• A electronic pad from the leader of Ukraine.
• Watercolour paintings from the Moldovan government.
• Various other items including makeup, a skateboard, and several rugs received during trips to Libya and other Arab nations.

"Possibly the oddest gifts were the statuette from Milei and the blue python skin shoes," reports suggest.

Political Backdrop

Meloni has been credited, mostly from her own political sphere, with garnering support from global statesmen and making Italy as a significant player on the international platform once again.

The forthcoming sale symbolizes a unconventional way to deal with the protocol gifts that accumulate during a leader's tenure.