APCOM

On May 1st Milano's mayor Letizia Moratti gave a 360-degree interview both on her city and on Italy in general to influential British newspaper, Financial Times. One of the issues Ms Moratti is now intensely focused on, is the future of Malpensa airport. Last week she urged prime minister-elect Silvio Berlusconi to reform the system governing ownership and the transfer of flight slots.

This would help airlines from 30 countries to acquire slots in the airport, which is struggling to go back to the levels of traffic registered in 2007 after the partial farewell of Alitalia (whose flights in and out have been reduced by two thirds). The mayor has never entered the debate on whether the national carrier should remain in Italian hands, but she calls for more flexibility from trade unions: "One has to separate Alitalia from Malpensa and allow Malpensa to continue its growth."

Ms Moratti also talked of the 2015 Expo recently awarded to Milano, which estimates to host 30 million visitors during the six months of the fair. The Financial Times pointed out that the capital of Lombardia "with perfect timing has styled its Expo around the themes of food and the environment just as shortages and rising staple prices are capturing global attention."

Milano is also promoting agricultural programmes in Africa, on coral reef protection from rising sea levels in the Pacific and on weather risk assessment in the Caribbean. "The concept is that we give our experience and know how to help other countries" the mayor declared. Ms Moratti also told her priorities to solve Italy's problems: "We need fiscal devolution, strong reforms of public administration and an increase in the retirement age."