Italian government has set a six-month deadline to decide whether to reduce, or possibly sell off entirely, its 49% stake in Alitalia, La Repubblica reported Sunday without citing sources. While Alitalia’s alliance with Air France-KLM still remains a priority, “it’s not the only solution,” the paper said.

The paper said investment funds Texas Pacific Group and hedge funds Walter Capital and Newton Inc. “are ready to take the field should the government decide to take a step back.”

It also said that a few Italian groups could be interested in investing in the airline, which the paper said is nearing a financial crisis again.
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